Development of Advanced Functional Biopolymer Composites with Tunable Physicochemical Properties

简介：吸附过程在自然界中是至关重要和普遍存在的，代表了化学转化的标志性特征。吸附去除是分离复杂基质中化学物质的最便宜和技术上最有效的方法。基于生物聚合物纳米复合材料的吸附材料具有相当大的科学和技术兴趣，因为它们独特的性质可以被利用来解决一系列技术应用（例如，环境修复、药物载体系统、化学分离、食品加工）。生物聚合物纳米复合材料的自下而上的合成为增量调整其分子结构和功能特性提供了广泛的机会。 目的：拟议研究的长期目标是开发具有可调性能的生物材料基纳米复合材料，并更好地了解与其在水介质中的非均相吸附性能相关的结构-功能关系。这一目标将通过关注三个短期目标来实现：1）通过自下而上的方法使用各种平台生物聚合物的生物聚合物纳米复合材料的合成设计，2）使用已建立的方法表征生物聚合物纳米复合材料的结构和物理化学性质，以及3）使用补充方法（例如，光谱、热力学和动力学研究），以提高对此类系统中吸附现象的理解。这项研究将通过三个平行的主题项目进行，这些项目与长期目标相结合，如下：1）无机阴离子吸收，2）环烷酸盐物种和生物提取物的吸收，以及3）蒸汽和水吸收特性。影响：这项研究计划建立在威尔逊以前在研究和培训HQP的成功。未来的学员将通过高级培训和技能发展探索原创研究。纳米复合材料的设计及其吸附性能的先进研究将填补与吸附现象相关的知识空白。通过对结构-功能关系的研究对基础科学的原创性和创新性贡献将为与食品和水安全、环境修复和可持续材料相关的多种应用提供新的知识和技术解决方案。上述项目满足了加拿大未来对催化、化学分离、载体系统和其他基于吸附的应用的改进吸附剂材料的需求。该研究计划将吸引和留住不同的HQP沿着，通过解决不同的实际问题，同时提供先进的培训和技能，在加拿大政府的科学和技术战略所描述的领域不同的HQP，以确保加拿大的经济和环境部门的利益。

INTRODUCTION: Adsorption processes are vital and ubiquitous in nature and represent a hallmark feature of chemical transformations. Adsorptive removal represents the least expensive and technically efficient method for separation of chemical species in complex matrices. Adsorbent materials based on biopolymer nanocomposites are of considerable scientific and technological interest because their unique properties can be exploited to address a range of technological applications (e.g., environmental remediation, pharmaceutical carrier systems, chemical separations, food processing). Bottom-up synthesis of biopolymer nanocomposites offers wide-ranging opportunities for incremental tuning of their molecular structure and functional properties. OBJECTIVES: The long-term goal of the proposed research is to develop biomaterial-based nanocomposites with tunable properties and to gain a greater understanding of the structure-function relationships related to their heterogeneous sorption properties in aqueous media. This goal will be addressed by focusing on three short-term objectives: 1) the synthetic design of biopolymer nanocomposites using various platform biopolymers via a bottom-up approach, 2) characterization of the structure and physicochemical properties of the biopolymer nanocomposites using established methods, and 3) systematic studies of the structure-function properties of selected biopolymer nanocomposite systems using complementary methods (e.g., spectroscopic, thermodynamic, and kinetic studies) to develop an improved understanding of adsorption phenomena in such systems. This research will be pursued through three parallel thematic projects that integrate with the long-term goal, as follows: 1) Inorganic anion uptake, 2) Uptake of naphthenate species and bio-extracts, and 3) Vapour and water uptake properties. IMPACT: This research program builds upon Wilson's previous success in research and training of HQP. Future trainees will explore original research through advanced training and skills development. Nanocomposite materials design and advanced studies of their sorption properties will address knowledge gaps relevant to adsorption-based phenomena. Original and innovative contributions to fundamental science by studies of structure-function relationships will contribute new knowledge and technological solutions to manifold applications relevant to food and water security, environmental remediation, and sustainable materials. The projects above exemplify the demand for improved sorbent materials for catalysis, chemical separations, carrier systems, and other sorption-based applications for Canada's future. This research program will attract and retain diverse HQP along with ensuring benefits to Canada's economy and environmental sectors by solving diverse practical problems for industry whilst providing advanced training and skills for diverse HQP in areas described by the Government of Canada's Science & Technology strategy.