New Terpene Based Polymers

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This project will create a completely new range of polymers derived directly from terpenes: natural products that are readily available from waste streams including food, forestry and agriculture, and in the future will be produced in very significant volumes from biomass through industrial biotechnology routesOur initial proof of concept data show significant promise and we have created a range of 16 terpene-based acrylate and methacrylate monomers that can then be polymerised into high molecular weight polymers with excellent control of molecular weight and end-group fidelity. This project is focused on demonstrating facile formation of a range of new and valuable polymers and control control of key structure property relationshipsThe new terpene acrylate and methacrylate monomers provide an opportunity to create a gradation of properties, tailored to move from "soft" to "hard blocks". This is the fundamental design principle behind the thermoplastic elastomers upon which society now relies heavily for structured materials; from hair care to shoe soles, and acrylic bathtubs to car suspension bushes. A key target will be to understand the structure-property relationships for a range of statistical, block and tapered copolymers that we wil synthesise and manipulate and control their mechanical properties through optimisation,