Hydrocarbons from C1 Carbon Sources

在这个由化学部高分子、超分子和纳米化学计划资助的项目中，加州大学欧文分校的Kenneth J.Shea将开发新的绿色化学方法，用于从单碳原子、可再生原料(C1)生产碳氢化合物大分子。方法是分离和研究聚合过程中各个步骤(引发、传播(早期、中期和后期)、终止)的机理；制备反应中间体并测量其稳定性；以及制备使稳定的聚乙烯胶乳形成和研究其形成所需的化合物。更广泛的影响包括对本科生和研究生进行基础聚合物化学方面的培训，通过出版物和在会议上的演讲广泛传播研究成果，通过加州大学欧文环境研究所参与外联活动，以及利用可再生资源制造碳氢化合物和材料的潜在社会影响。学生还将与工业合作伙伴合作，探索这种化学的大规模应用，以生产有用的材料。塑料是一种长链有机分子，存在于日常生活的许多方面，包括食品包装、汽车和航空航天运输的结构材料，以及轻型电子设备。目前，塑料主要来自石油资源。这项研究将提供基本的化学知识，可用于开发高效、经济和实用的方法，从丰富和可持续的碳源生产塑料和蜡。

In this project funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, Kenneth J. Shea of the University of California, Irvine will develop new green chemistries for the production of hydrocarbon macromolecules from single carbon atom, renewable feedstocks (C1). The approach is to separate and study the mechanisms of the individual steps in the polymerization (initiation, propagation (early, middle and late stage), termination); to prepare reaction intermediates and measure their stabilities; and to prepare compounds necessary to enable and study the formation of stable polyethylene latexes. The broader impacts involve training undergraduate and graduate students in fundamental polymer chemistry, broadly disseminating research results via publications and presentations at conferences, participating in outreach activities through the UC Irvine Environment Institute, and the potential societal impacts of manufacturing hydrocarbon compounds and materials from renewable resources. Students will also work with industrial partners to explore large-scale applications of this chemistry for producing useful materials. Plastics are long chain organic molecules and are found in many facets of everyday life, including food packaging, structural materials for automotive and aerospace transportation, and lightweight electronic devices. At present, plastics are derived predominantly from petroleum based resources. This research will provide fundamental chemical knowledge that could be used to develop efficient, economical and practical methods for the production of plastics and waxes from abundant and sustainable carbon sources.