Making and analysing more recyclable multilayer polymer packaging films

制造和分析更多可回收的多层聚合物包装薄膜

• 批准号: 2764338
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Manchester
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2764338
• 关键词: Making; analysing; more; recyclable; multilayer

Most polymer films used in food packaging are multilayer laminates of very different polymers or metal films, due to the wide range of properties which need to be satisfied and balanced. Unfortunately, such mixed materials are extremely difficult or impossible to recycle, reducing the overall sustainability of polymer packaging. In addition, the polymers are mostly made from non-renewable sources and are non-degradable. Approaches to these challenges include: (a) producing laminates that can be separated for recycling by "debonding on demand" with an external chemical or physical trigger, allowing the material layers to be separated; (b) producing films and laminates from renewable sources which can be degraded at end-of-life. Such innovations will be key for decreasing polymer waste and enabling recycling and the circular economy for plastics. However, characterization of multilayer polymer films, and other polymer films which have through-thickness variation in chemistry (e.g. resulting from degradation or small molecule uptake) is challenging. This main objective of this project is to develop a new analysis capability - infrared spectroscopic ellipsometry (IRSE) - for the in-situ analysis of multilayer polymer laminates and polymer films with through-thickness variation in chemistry. This optical technique is fast, non-destructive and can be used with measurement cells for heating, solvent or vapour exposure, allowing dynamic processes such as curing, drying, swelling, degradation and delamination to be observed in-situ. Commercial IRSE systems are not widely available and the technique has been rarely applied to polymer challenges. We will use the new IRSE capability within the Henry Royce Institute Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub at Manchester to develop this key enabling technology for polymer innovation. The student will measure model multilayer polymer samples (including real polymer packaging samples and in-house fabricated films) by IRSE and develop the necessary analytical methods using model samples to characterize these multilayer stacks. Through-thickness chemical profiling will be demonstrated and applied to understanding polymer curing, drying, swelling, degradation and delamination. Results will be correlated to other techniques including various microscopies, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and mechanical testing. Finally, the insight and expertise gained into the characterization of multilayer polymer films and buried layers will be applied in initial experiments towards developing new adhesive layers for multilayer packaging films than can respond to an external trigger and allow the laminate to be separated and recycled. The response of these new laminates to simulated real-world usage conditions will also be investigated. In addition to characterization work, the student will also gain hands-on experience of "wet chemistry" laboratory work for sample preparation and new materials synthesis and formulation, in addition to some practical polymer processing for film fabrication.Suggested EPSRC Research Area: Polymer Materials

食品包装中使用的大多数聚合物薄膜是非常不同的聚合物或金属薄膜的多层层压材料，因为需要满足和平衡广泛的性能。不幸的是，这种混合材料极难或不可能回收，降低了聚合物包装的整体可持续性。此外，聚合物大多由不可再生来源制成，并且不可降解。应对这些挑战的方法包括：（a）生产可通过外部化学或物理触发“按需脱粘”进行分离以供回收的层压材料，从而允许材料层分离;（B）由可在寿命结束时降解的可再生资源生产膜和层压材料。这些创新将是减少聚合物废物、实现塑料回收和循环经济的关键。然而，多层聚合物膜和具有化学性质的全厚度变化（例如，由降解或小分子吸收引起）的其他聚合物膜的表征具有挑战性。该项目的主要目标是开发一种新的分析能力-红外光谱椭圆偏振法（IRSE）-用于多层聚合物层压板和聚合物薄膜的原位分析，其化学性质随厚度变化。这种光学技术快速、非破坏性，可与加热、溶剂或蒸汽暴露的测量单元一起使用，允许现场观察固化、干燥、溶胀、降解和分层等动态过程。商业IRSE系统并不广泛使用，该技术很少应用于聚合物挑战。我们将在曼彻斯特的亨利罗伊斯研究所可持续材料创新中心使用新的IRSE能力，为聚合物创新开发这一关键的使能技术。学生将通过IRSE测量模型多层聚合物样品（包括真实的聚合物包装样品和内部制造的薄膜），并使用模型样品开发必要的分析方法来表征这些多层堆叠。将演示和应用于了解聚合物固化，干燥，溶胀，降解和分层的厚度化学分析。结果将与其他技术，包括各种显微镜，差示扫描量热法（DSC），动态力学热分析（DMTA）和机械测试。最后，在多层聚合物薄膜和埋层的表征方面获得的见解和专业知识将应用于初步实验，以开发用于多层包装薄膜的新粘合剂层，该粘合剂层可以响应外部触发并允许层压材料分离和回收。还将研究这些新层压板对模拟真实使用条件的响应。除了表征工作外，学生还将获得用于样品制备和新材料合成和配方的“湿化学”实验室工作的实践经验，以及一些用于薄膜制造的实际聚合物加工。