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

该提案的主要目标是通过将控制微观结构的可生物降解聚合物与Papprican生产的化学处理（kraft）纸浆纤维和绒毛纸浆纤维（再生纤维素纤维的前体，如Lyocell）相结合，开发新型、可持续、环保的聚合物基纳米复合材料。这些可生物降解的微观结构可控的聚合物将使用英属哥伦比亚大学化学系最近开发和正在开发的新技术合成，这些技术是聚（己内酯）、聚（乳酸）和聚（羟基丁酸）。现有的可生物降解聚合物产品的物理性能范围有限，可以通过新的聚合物配方来增强，包括将可生物降解聚合物和/或嵌段共聚物与木纤维结合，从而产生具有广泛机械特性的完全可堆肥聚合物。提高生物聚合物的机械性能，使其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被设计为提高其加工能力以达到高生产水平。本研究还指出了从流变学角度研究结构-性能关系的必要性，以便更好地理解分子结构-流变-加工与可堆肥性之间的关系，从而更好地设计最终产品。本研究的意义是多方面的。首先，它旨在通过合成和改性新的可生物降解聚合物来制备可堆肥塑料（可持续性），从而保护环境。其次，它指出了通过减少对新聚合物（至少是石油基塑料）生产的需求来节约能源。最后，它是对一类材料的整个生命周期的整体研究，从它们的合成/起源到加工和应用，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.