Sustainable Polymer Reaction Engineering

可持续聚合物反应工程

• 批准号: RGPIN-2014-05892
• 负责人: Dubé, Marc
• 金额: $ 2.11万
• 依托单位: University of Ottawa
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=588684
• 关键词: Sustainable; Polymer; Reaction; Engineering

Polymers are found in almost every manufactured product in the world. Not surprisingly, economic indicators for the polymer industry predict a significant global increase in production for the foreseeable future. Most synthetic polymers are derived from petroleum feedstock and we have reached a critical point in our dependence on these feedstock due to supply limitations and negative environmental consequences. The long-term objective of my research program is to develop new methods in sustainable polymerization to provide transformative solutions to the environmental and economic challenges confronting the polymer industry. In a recent review paper, I applied the “12 principles of green chemistry” to current polymer production technology in order to identify research areas with the highest probability of significant impact. This led to the targeting of six of these principles in the current proposal: 1- The design of less hazardous chemical syntheses: Replace hazardous solvents with safer alternatives and monomers with less toxic, typically, bio-based materials. 2- The use of renewable feedstock: It is predicted that the share of total world polymer production occupied by bio-based monomers will increase from 1.5% (2011) to 3% in 2020. Many renewable, bio-based monomers and solvents have already been exploited in my research program (e.g., glycerol, fatty acid methyl esters). 3- The use of catalysts: The presence of allylic moieties in many bio-based monomers leads to degradative chain transfer which impedes polymerization. The use of cationic initiators and living radical polymerization approaches are promising. 4- The use of safer solvents and reaction conditions: Replace solvent-based polymerization methods with water-based (emulsion) polymerization. 5- Increase in energy efficiency: Given the often highly exothermic nature of polymerization reactions, adiabatic operation is an obvious choice to improve energy efficiency. However, the complex temperature-dependent kinetics may lead to serious compromises in product quality. 6- The analysis of process conditions in real-time to prevent pollution: The use of reaction calorimetry and in-line monitoring of polymerization reactions is an area that we continue to actively explore. Given the above principles, I will pursue my long-term objective to develop sustainable polymer reaction engineering technologies. My approach involves using safer solvent alternatives or emulsion polymerization, incorporating renewable materials into polymer products and running reactions adiabatically. My principle target is the production of environmentally benign pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs). Four highly innovative projects using emulsion polymerization to produce PSAs will address my objectives: 1. Copolymerization of acrylated methyl oleate and other vegetable oil sources with traditional monomers. 2. Incorporation of terpenes (e.g., alpha-pinene) into copolymer formulations. 3. The use of nitroxide-mediated polymerization for the production of PSAs. 4. Adiabatic emulsion polymerization for PSA production. These approaches have not been studied in the context of PSA production, nor have they been exploited widely for the production of other polymer products. Although Canada possesses abundant renewable resources, the increasing global dependence on non-renewable fossil fuels is leaving an unsustainable social, economic and environmental footprint. The need for immediate action on the stewardship of our planet is obvious, and there is great potential for improvement in the polymer industry. This research will advance Canada’s bio-economy and clean technology by training HQP and maximizing Canada’s performance in an area of emerging environmental and economic importance.

聚合物几乎存在于世界上所有的制成品中。毫不奇怪，聚合物行业的经济指标预测，在可预见的未来，全球产量将大幅增加。大多数合成聚合物来源于石油原料，由于供应限制和对环境的负面影响，我们对这些原料的依赖已经达到了一个临界点。我的研究计划的长期目标是开发可持续聚合的新方法，为聚合物工业面临的环境和经济挑战提供变革性的解决方案。