Functionalized polymer building blocks for high performance bioplastics production using novel catalysts and recycled vegetable oils

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Low molecular weight building blocks have recently attracted enormous interest in terms of bottom-up fabrication of organic materials. The building blocks currently used in supramolecular chemistry are synthesized mainly from non renewable-based raw materials. However, the 'green' chemical synthesis presents distinct advantages for the generation of new bio-based building blocks since they are obtainable from renewable resources. The specific objectives of the proposal are: 1) Catalysts formulation and characterization; 2) Optimization of the metathesis reaction operating conditions for a model functionalized olefin: methyl oleate ester; 3) Catalyst stability and its resistance to deactivation; 4) Metathesis of a model triglyceride simulating typical vegetable oils; 5) Metathesis of a used vegetable oils (used high oleic sunflower). There is a high potential for developing new knowledge in the area of catalysis, materials chemistry, bio-based polymer reaction engineering. The benefits that would accrue from this project are highly significant to the Canadian fats and oils industry, the Canadian Agri-business overall as well as the Canadian plastics industry. This study has direct implications not only with respect to value-addition to recycled vegetable oils but also with respect to the development of catalytic process that meets the requirements of 'Green Chemistry', and the production of feed stocks to the bioplastics industry from renewable resources while reducing the demand from plastics industry for hydrocarbons from non-renewable resources. Thus this research could contribute to the development of bioplastics technologies and benefit the bioplastics sector and the plastics industry. There are opportunities for the Canadian Food and food service sectors to recycle and process used vegetable oils profitably to value-added products, and to improve the profitability and competitiveness for the Canadian oil seed growers and fats and oil processors.