Digitalization of polymerization processes and development of smart polymer systems for transformations

聚合过程的数字化和用于转换的智能聚合物系统的开发

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-06774
• 负责人: Zhu, Shiping
• 金额: $ 4.01万
• 依托单位: McMaster University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=718084
• 关键词: Digitalization; polymerization; processes; development; smart

Chemical engineering is about the production and processing of materials and chemicals in safe and sustainable ways. Polymers are macromolecules that have thousands of small molecules joined together in chains by covalent bonds. Polymers represent one of the three major types of materials, with their consumption more than all other types of synthetic materials combined. Polymer material properties are determined to a large extent by their chain microstructures. Different from small molecules, polymers are the products of processes. Even with same chemical recipe, a slight difference in processes could result in totally different polymer products. My research program is in the areas of polymer reaction engineering, which bridges the lab chemistry to industrial production. My objective is to study the fundamentals of polymer reaction engineering and to train HQPs with highly demanded skills. I propose to work on two major areas (four projects): (1) to develop advanced technologies that allow us to design and produce polymers having targeted chain microstructures, and (2) to develop smart materials that allow us to convert one thing (stimulus) to another (response). The work is of both theoretical and experimental in nature, built on my strength in polymer reaction engineering combined with extensive experience in polymer chemistry and materials science. The first area is to digitize polymerization processes. Polymers are rich in microstructure, such as molecular weight, composition, sequence, tacticity, topology, functionality, etc. Precision production is the key to success. Digitalization represents the trend. One project is to model and simulate production of polymers having sophisticated chain structures. Combined with experimental verification, it provides mechanistic understanding of the chain formation under industrial production conditions. Another project is to study commercial polymer manufacturing through machine and process learning. Taking advantage of the advents of AI and Big Data, it innovates commercial manufacturing processes for developing new products and for upgrading existing products. The second area is to develop smart materials. Humankind has greatly benefited from machines that transform one thing to another, eg. heat to motion, motion to electricity, electricity to light, etc. Molecular machines, such as molecular actuators and motors, have attracted great attention in recent decades. I am motivated to explore and pioneer the design and fabrication of smart materials at intermediate scales for the transformations. One project is to synthesize hydrogels that have mechanical strength between hard and soft switched by temperature. Another project is to develop composites with electrical conductivity between conductor and insulator switched by mechanical actions. These inventions have applications as implantable sensors and smart switches.

化学工程是关于以安全和可持续的方式生产和加工材料和化学品。聚合物是由数千个小分子通过共价键连接在一起的大分子。聚合物是三种主要材料之一，其消费量超过所有其他类型的合成材料的总和。高分子材料的性能在很大程度上取决于其链状微观结构。与小分子不同，聚合物是过程的产物。即使是相同的化学配方，工艺上的细微差别也可能导致完全不同的聚合物产品。