Controlled-microstructure biopolymers: from synthesis to processing and final disintegration through composting

这项建议的主要目标是通过将可控制微结构的可生物降解聚合物与化学处理(硫酸盐)纸浆纤维和Papprcan生产的绒毛纸浆纤维(Lyocell等再生纤维素纤维的前体)相结合，开发新型、可持续、环境友好的聚合物基纳米复合材料。微结构可控的生物可降解聚合物将使用最近开发的新技术和不列颠哥伦比亚大学化学系正在开发的其他技术来合成，这些技术包括聚己内酯、聚乳酸和聚羟基丁酸酯。现有的可生物降解聚合物产品存在物理性能范围有限的问题，可以通过新型聚合物配方来增强物理性能，包括将可生物降解聚合物和/或嵌段共聚物与木材纤维相结合，以产生具有广泛机械特性的完全可堆肥的聚合物。提高生物聚合物的这些机械性能，使其可与许多石油基塑料相媲美，并开发创新技术，使其生产成本更低，这将是开发下一代绿色材料的第一步，也是重要的一步。被称为加工助剂的添加剂应该被设计成将其加工性提高到高生产水平。本研究还指出，有必要从流变学的角度研究结构与性能的关系，以便更好地了解分子结构-流变学-加工与堆肥性之间的关系，以便更好地设计最终产品。本研究的意义指向多个方向。首先，它的目的是通过解决用于制备可堆肥塑料(可持续性)的新的可生物降解聚合物的合成和改性来保护环境。其次，它指出了通过减少对生产新聚合物的需求来节省能源，至少是石油基塑料。最后，它是对一类材料的整个生命周期的完整研究，从它们的合成/成因到加工和应用，最后是它们的完全分解/堆肥。

The main objective of this proposal is to develop novel, sustainable, environmentally-friendly, polymer based nanocomposites by combining controlled-microstructure biodegradable polymers with chemically treated (kraft) pulp fibers, and fluff pulp fibers (precursor to regenerated cellulose fibers like Lyocell) produced by Papprican. The biodegradable polymers of controlled microstructure will be synthesized using novel techniques recently developed and others under development at the department of Chemistry at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and these are poly(caprolactone), poly(lactic acid), and poly(hydroxybutyrate). Existing biodegradable polymer products suffer from a limited scope of physical properties, which could be enhanced with novel polymer formulations, including the combination of biodegradable polymers and/or block co-polymers with wood fibers to result in completely compostable polymers with a wide range of mechanical characteristics. Enhancing these mechanical properties of bio-polymers to make them comparable to those of many petroleum-based plastics and developing innovative technologies to make their production cheaper would be a first and important step for developing the next generation of green materials. Additives known as processing aids should be designed to enhance their processabilitiy to high production levels. This study also points to the need of studying the structure-property relationship from the rheological point of view in order to better understand relationships between molecular structure-rheology-processing and compostability for a better design of the final products. The significance of this research points in multiple directions. Firstly, it aims to protect the environment by addressing the synthesis and modification of new biodegradable polymers for the preparation of compostable plastics (sustainability). Secondly, it points to energy savings by reducing the demand for the production of new polymers, at least petroleum-based plastics. Finally, it is an integral study of the full life cycle of a class of materials beginning from their synthesis/genesis to processing and applications and finally their full decomposition/composting.