CAREER: High Speed Reactive Extrusion for Stabilized and Toughened Renewable Polymer Blends and Copolymers

学院早期职业发展(Career)计划资助一项关于可再生塑料加工行为和生命周期的研究，并致力于激励女学生积极追求工程职业。结合界面反应的高速挤出有可能将不同的聚合物紧密地混合在一起，以获得整个组合性能范围。这项研究将表征这一新工艺对共混物微观结构的影响，并将块体性能与工艺参数相关联。加工流变学预测模型的建立将能够扩展到其他聚合物混合物，包括回收塑料。这项研究还将被用作扩大女性参与工程学的催化剂，方法是将学生开办的职业选择演示带到当地的职业和传统高中课程。一个多媒体信息公共服务网站和一个关于气候变化和可持续发展的模块将为新生课程揭开环境可持续性和塑料工业的神秘面纱。这项工作将探索可再生材料和尖端加工战略的交叉，以发现加固生物基塑料的新技术。作为这项研究的结果，生物基聚合物的稳定性和性能将被改进，以创造出坚固的塑料，可以在耐用品应用中取代传统的化石衍生聚合物。高剪切的使用也有可能降低挤压过程中的能源消耗。将确定聚合物共混物的结构-性能-加工关系。将开展大量体验式学习，以扩大妇女在工程学方面的参与，并扩大工程专业在关键高中的知名度，包括接触高等教育机会较少的学生群体。这些活动将在教育渠道的几个层面上建立指导关系和早期积极经验，同时提高科学素养和交流。

This Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program grant funds a study of the processing behavior and life cycle of renewably-sourced plastics, and works to inspire female students to proactively pursue engineering careers. High-speed extrusion coupled with interfacial reaction has the potential to intimately blend dissimilar polymers in order to access the entire range of combinatorial properties. The research will characterize the effects of this novel process on blend microstructure and correlate bulk properties to processing parameters. Creation of a predictive model of the processing rheology will enable expansion to other polymer blends, including recycled plastics. The research will also be used as a catalyst for broadening participation of women in engineering by bringing student-run demonstrations of career options to local vocational and traditional high school programs. A multimedia informational public service website and a module on climate change and sustainability for freshman courses will demystify environmental sustainability and the plastics industry.This work will probe the intersection of renewable materials and cutting-edge processing strategies to discover new techniques for reinforcement of biobased plastics. As a result of this research the stability and properties of bio-based polymers will be modified to create robust plastics that can be used in place of conventional fossil-derived polymers in durable goods applications. The use of high shear also has the potential to reduce energy consumption in extrusion processes. Structure-properties-processing relationships will be determined for the polymer blends. A substantial experiential learning effort will be launched to broaden participation of women in engineering and to expand visibility of the engineering profession at the critical high school level, including student populations with less exposure to higher education options. These activities will establish mentoring relationships and early positive experiences on several levels of the educational pipeline, while improving science literacy and communication.