Center for Sustainable Polymers

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The Center for Sustainable Polymers will establish a comprehensive knowledge base to enable the efficient and economical conversion of natural and abundant molecules into tomorrow's advanced polymeric materials. It will blend efforts in polymer design, monomer synthesis, polymerization catalysis, architecture and morphology control, and polymer property optimization to establish the basic scientific tenets for innovative renewable resource polymer technologies. The targets will be (1) architecturally diverse block copolymers as thermoplastic elastomers, tough plastics, and adhesives; and (2) thermosetting multiblock copolymers for structural and foam applications. The Center will develop new scientific understanding that will advance the use of biorenewable materials and supplant environmentally deleterious versions derived from petrochemicals. In addition to fostering the development and implementation of new innovative products for the benefit of society, the Center will also engage in a wide range of educational and public outreach activities. An important component will be public outreach aimed at informing citizenry and policy makers on the societal importance of sustainable technologies. Broad public dissemination includes the development of an interactive exhibit at the Minnesota State Fair. The Center will foster collaboration among academic researchers, industrial partners, environmental advocates, and designers. Center graduate students and postdoctoral researchers will join interdisciplinary research teams, participate in an industrial internship program, and receive cross-disciplinary training in the area of sustainable polymers that will be vital for their independent careers. Efforts to broaden the participation of underrepresented students will be undertaken by building partnerships with other local organizations with similar interests and expertise.The Center for Sustainable Polymers is funded as part of the Centers for Chemical Innovation.