Water-soluble polymers for use in stimuli-responsive materials, water treatment and flocculation of oil sands tailings

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Research activity targeting the development of new technologies to promote sustainability, increased protection for the environment, reduced environmental impact and improvements to human health is resulting in increasing use of polymeric materials that are water-soluble. In contrast, most commercial polymers manufactured today are petroleum-based and are soluble only in organic solvents. The research activities described in this proposal involve a highly collaborative team of five researchers from three departments (Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemistry) who are investigating the use of water-soluble polymers for a range of diverse leading-edge applications with significant potential benefit to Canadian society and the Canadian economy including: 1. Stimuli responsive materials that use a safer and more environmentally benign trigger (carbon dioxide) than existing stimuli responsive materials; 2. Treatment of oil sands tailings, a major concern for the petroleum industry and the environment; 3. Purification of water using forward osmosis based on carbon dioxide responsive polymers; 4. New composite materials based on renewable, naturally occurring polymers including cellulose, chitosan and starch to replace petroleum-based products; 4. A new, “green” type of paint that is VOC (Volatile Organic Component) free; and 5. Polymers for biomedicine. All of these targeted projects clearly fall within the Queen’s Strategic Research Plan (2012-2017). Common to all these research activities is the need to characterize the polymers that are being used. One of the most critical properties to be measured is the molecular weight distribution, which is a measure of the length of the individual polymer chains. Molecular weight determines several key properties of any polymer. Specifically we are requesting an aqueous gel permeation chromatograph (GPC), also known as size exclusion chromatograph (SEC). There is an urgent need to acquire a modern aqueous GPC for the co-applicants’ research activities. The lack of adequate equipment is resulting in delays in conducting research, an outright inability to conduct some research, and/or reduced research productivity and quality. The equipment is urgently needed and will be heavily used by at least three different departments at Queen’s and will provide training for 15-20 Highly Qualified Personnel per year. The equipment will also be available to other researchers as the Chemical Engineering department has agreed to provide a full time instrumentation manager to support the equipment operation and maintenance, and to train external users.