Novel elastomers

加氢反应是聚合物化学改性的一个重要过程。丁腈橡胶(NBR)中不饱和烯烃基团的选择性加氢是一种成功的工业生产工艺。商业上的不饱和聚合物加氢工艺大多采用溶液加氢，这不仅引起了环境问题，而且增加了生产成本。因此，以胶乳形式直接氢化不饱和聚合物是非常可取的，因为这样的过程将避免繁琐的氢化步骤，从而消除对大量有毒有机溶剂的需要。然而，有几个挑战阻碍了催化胶乳加氢工艺的商业化。这一拟议项目的目标是解决目前实验室技术与工业生产之间的两难境地，通过最先进的纳米加氢工艺，并由此开发一条生产氢化丁腈橡胶(HNBR)胶乳的新技术路线，并有可能达到中试规模或全面工业规模。纳米加氢是一种面向过程开发的过程，通过为行业合作伙伴整合具有变革性的纳米技术。从纳米级到加氢，首先是一种环境友好和能源效率高的过程。纳米胶乳加氢技术将导致纳米技术的转化能力，建立一条独特的途径，提供新的特殊聚合物胶乳纳米颗粒和具有定制和可调性能的聚合物隔离固体。因此，该项目将为我们参与的行业合作伙伴和加拿大提供特殊的好处。此外，这一建议将使加拿大学术界在开发新材料和新方法方面大大受益，科学界可以在相关快速增长的研究领域采用这些材料和方法。

Hydrogenation constitutes an important process for the chemical modification of polymers. The selective hydrogenation of the unsaturated olefinic groups in nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) is such a successful commercial process in industry. The commercial process for the hydrogenation of unsaturated polymers is mostly employing the solution hydrogenation, which not only raises environmental concerns but increases the cost of production. It is therefore very desirable to directly hydrogenate the unsaturated polymers in latex form as such a process would avoid the tedious hydrogenation steps and thereby eliminate the need of large amounts of toxic organic solvent. However, there are several challenges which are preventing the commercialization of catalytic latex hydrogenation process. The objective of this proposed project is to solve the dilemma encountered between the current lab technology and industrial production by a state-of-the-art Nanolatex-to-Hydrogenation process and thereof to develop a novel technical route for the production of hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR) latex and potentially up to a pilot plant scale or a full industrial scale. Nanolatex-to-Hydrogenation is a process-development oriented process by integrating the transformative nanotechnology for industry partners. Nanolatex-to-Hydrogenation in the first place is an environmentally benign and an energy efficient process. Nanolatex-to-Hydrogenation technique will lead to the transformative ability of nanotechnology to establish a unique route to provide new special polymer latex nanoparticles and polymer isolated solids with tailor-made and tunable properties. Thus, this project will provide exceptional benefits to our participating industrial partner and to Canada. In addition, this proposal will significantly benefit the academic circles in Canada in terms of developing new materials and methodologies that the scientific community can adapt in related rapidly growing research areas.