New Terpene Based Polymers

这个项目将创造一个直接从萜烯衍生的全新聚合物系列：从包括食品、林业和农业在内的废水中随时可以获得的天然产品，并且在未来将通过工业生物技术路线从生物质中大量生产。我们的初步概念验证数据显示出巨大的前景，我们已经创造了16种萜烯基丙烯酸酯和甲基丙烯酸酯单体，然后可以聚合成具有良好的相对分子质量和端基保真度的高分子量聚合物。该项目的重点是展示一系列新的、有价值的聚合物的容易形成和关键结构性能关系的控制。新的萜烯丙烯酸酯和甲基丙烯酸酯单体提供了创造性能分级的机会，使其能够从“软”块过渡到“硬块”。这是热塑性弹性体背后的基本设计原则，从头发护理到鞋底，从丙烯酸浴缸到汽车悬架衬垫，如今的社会对热塑性弹性体的结构性材料非常依赖。一个关键的目标将是了解一系列统计的、嵌段的和锥形的共聚物的结构-性能关系，我们将通过优化来合成和操纵并控制它们的机械性能，

This project will create a completely new range of polymers derived directly from terpenes: natural products that are readily available from waste streams including food, forestry and agriculture, and in the future will be produced in very significant volumes from biomass through industrial biotechnology routesOur initial proof of concept data show significant promise and we have created a range of 16 terpene-based acrylate and methacrylate monomers that can then be polymerised into high molecular weight polymers with excellent control of molecular weight and end-group fidelity. This project is focused on demonstrating facile formation of a range of new and valuable polymers and control control of key structure property relationshipsThe new terpene acrylate and methacrylate monomers provide an opportunity to create a gradation of properties, tailored to move from "soft" to "hard blocks". This is the fundamental design principle behind the thermoplastic elastomers upon which society now relies heavily for structured materials; from hair care to shoe soles, and acrylic bathtubs to car suspension bushes. A key target will be to understand the structure-property relationships for a range of statistical, block and tapered copolymers that we wil synthesise and manipulate and control their mechanical properties through optimisation,