Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer for Fundamental and Applied Materials Research

由二氧化碳和食品工业废料等非传统原料制成的新材料非常受欢迎。它们可能会降低工业的碳足迹，但要在经济上可行，它们的物理性能必须与已在使用的产品一样好，甚至更好。我们目前正在使用这些原料来制备聚合物和复合材料。动态机械分析仪(DMA)表征一种新材料的物理性质。例如，它可以确定热对塑料的弹性或抗裂性的影响。它可以确定材料的可弯曲性，以及材料在冷却时变得多脆。材料在温度变化下的行为和材料所能承受的应力是决定如何使用新材料的重要特性。此外，我们对材料的环境、化学和生物降解感兴趣。在这种情况下，重要的是从化学和机械行为两个方面考虑降解的机理。例如，在主要由聚己内酯制成的纳米复合材料中加入生物衍生材料(例如生物炭)可以提高强度和生物降解潜力。纪念大学目前缺乏这样一种在实验室范围内表征塑料和复合材料的仪器。它将是我们重要的研究和培训工具，并将提供这些有价值的信息。DMA是对纪念大学现有材料表征仪器的补充，它提供的数据对于充分理解我们制作的材料至关重要。我们最近用废弃的鱼油和二氧化碳制造了非异氰酸酯聚氨酯，但我们无法获得聚合物的机械数据。我们也在用其他可再生原料制造聚碳酸酯，比如从柑橘果皮中提取的柠檬烯。除了良好的物理性能外，我们还将设计具有更强的海洋降解性以防止海洋污染的材料，用于高价值应用的新型可切换/混合聚碳酸酯，以及用于药物输送的新型方解石复合材料。我们每年平均培养6名博士、3名硕士和3名本科生绿色化学、催化、材料和聚合物科学。许多项目都得到了NSERC奖学金的支持。我们还与NSERC资助的化学工程师及其HQP广泛合作。DMA将加强其培训环境，并为在顶级期刊上发表和为技术转让活动提供数据。在接受这种实践技术培训后，我们的人员将非常适合在加拿大工业(例如新兴的生物经济部门)就业，或者在学术界或政府实验室进行进一步的研究。

New materials made from unconventional starting materials including carbon dioxide and food industry waste are highly desirable. They can potentially lower the carbon footprint for industry but to be economically viable they must have physical properties as good as, or superior to, those already in use. We are currently using these feedstocks to prepare polymers and composites. A dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) characterizes physical properties of a new material. For example, it can determine the influence of heat on the elasticity or resistance to breaking of a plastic. It can determine the bendability of a material as well as how brittle a material becomes when it cools. The behaviour of a material under changes in temperature and the stresses the materials can tolerate are important properties that determine how a new material can be used. Furthermore, we are interested in environmental, chemical and biological degradation of materials. In such cases, it is important to consider mechanisms of the degradation both in terms of chemistry and mechanical behaviour. For example, incorporation of a bio-derived material (e.g. biochar) within nanocomposites primarily made from polycaprolactone can both increase strength and biodegradation potential. Memorial University currently lacks such an instrument for characterizing plastics and composite materials on a laboratory scale. It will be a critical research and training tool for us and will provide this valuable information. The DMA complements existing materials characterization instrumentation at Memorial University and the data it provides are critical in order to fully understand the materials we make. We have recently made non-isocyanate polyurethanes from waste fish oil and carbon dioxide, but we were unable to get mechanical data on the polymers. We are also making polycarbonates from other renewable starting materials, such as limonene, which is obtained from citrus fruit peels. Further to good physical properties, we will design materials with enhanced marine degradability to prevent ocean pollution, new switchable/hybrid polycarbonates for high value applications, and new calcite-composites for use in drug delivery. Annually we train on average 6 PhD, 3 MSc and 3 undergraduate research students in green chemistry, catalysis, materials and polymer science. Many are supported by NSERC scholarships. We also collaborate extensively with NSERC-funded chemical engineers and their HQP. The DMA will enhance their training environment and provide data for publication in top tier journals and for technology transfer activities. Upon receiving this hands-on technical training our personnel will be well suited for employment in Canadian industry (e.g. the emerging bioeconomy sector) or to pursue further research in academia or government labs.