Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Sustainable Polymers: Upcycling Poly(Vinyl Chloride) And Mimicking Low Density Polyethylene, Ian Baxter

Theses and Dissertations

In this research, increasing the sustainability of polymers was investigated through two main methods. The upcycling of poly(vinyl chloride) and the creation of polymer mimics to create degradable low-density polyethylene. In the first chapter, an overview of the sustainability issues of polymers is presented and approaches are described on how their sustainability may be increased through the upcycling of polymers or the synthesis of degradable polymers that mimic the properties of petrol-based polymers.

Chapter 2 contains the progress on the upcycling of PVC using high oleic soybean oil. Soybean oil can soften PVC making it less brittle than pure PVC. …

Teaching An Old Dog New Tricks: Synthesis And Applications Of Novel Polybenzimidazole (Pbi) Membranes, Laura Ann Murdock

Theses and Dissertations

Polybenzimidazoles (PBIs) represent a class of performance polymers that display exceptional thermal and oxidative stability. For almost thirty years, PBI membranes have been investigated as promising candidates for next-generation alternative energy devices, including high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs) and vanadium redox flow batteries (VRBs). Issues with the production of PBI membranes arise from their inherent low solubility in organic solvents. Thus, conventional approaches typically yield membranes that have limited molecular weight and generate significant waste in preparation, due to the large quantity of solvent required to dissolve PBIs for membrane casting.

Presented herein is the development of …

Macromolecular Engineering Of Biomass Polymers And Stimuli-Responsive Materials Towards Enhanced Thermomechanical Properties, Meghan E. Lamm

Theses and Dissertations

Commodity polymers are used in every aspect of daily life, and most of these polymeric materials are synthesized using petroleum-derived sources. There are direct environmental consequences to this petroleum dependence including greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Biomass-based polymers show promise for the mitigation on negative environmental impact, in comparison with petroleum-derived counterparts. However, some biopolymers suffer from low chain entanglement due to bulky or long side chain structures, resulting in poor mechanical properties. In this dissertation work, macromolecular engineering is used to design biomass-derived polymers featuring a variety of structures and functionalities. Additionally, biopolymer properties (including thermomechanical enhancement) and …

Sustainable Polymers And Antimicrobial Biomaterials From Multicyclic Natural Products, Md Anisur Rahman

Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, the development of sustainable polymers and antimicrobial biomaterials from multicyclic natural products is illustrated. In Chapter 1, an overall background and recent development of sustainable polymers from natural product-based renewable biomass, antimicrobial biomaterials, and polymerization methods are introduced. Afterward, the primary research objectives of my doctoral research work are illustrated.

In chapter 2, designing block copolymer architectures toward tough bioplastics from renewable natural rosin was described. One of the most abundant natural biomasses is resin acids, however, most of the polymers derived from resin acids are brittle because of their bulky hydrophenanthrene pendant group. To overcome the …

Metallo-Polyelectrolytes As A Class Of Ionic Macromolecules For Functional Materials, Tianyu Zhu, Ye Sha, Jing Yan, Parasmani Pageni, Md Anisur Rahman, Yi Yan, Chuanbing Tang

Faculty Publications

The fields of soft polymers and macromolecular sciences have enjoyed a unique combination of metals and organic frameworks in the name of metallopolymers or organometallic polymers. When metallopolymers carry charged groups, they form a class of metal-containing polyelectrolytes or metallo-polyelectrolytes. This review identifies the unique properties and functions of metallo-polyelectrolytes compared with conventional organo-polyelectrolytes, in the hope of shedding light on the formation of functional materials with intriguing applications and potential benefits. It concludes with a critical perspective on the challenges and hurdles for metallo-polyelectrolytes, especially experimental quantitative analysis and theoretical modeling of ionic binding.

Synthesis Of Small-Molecule Fluorescent Probe And Polymers For Bioapplication: Bioimaging And Enzyme Stabilization, Yanmei Xu

Theses and Dissertations

In chapter one, we designed, synthesized and characterized two cysteine sensors CCPAP and CCPAN, with improved water solubility, cell penetration ability, and potential targeting selectivity. Two types of positive charged groups, i.e. triphenylphosphonium and pyridinium were introduced respectively to the frame structure CCP by coupling carboxylic acid with amine to improve the cell permeability and cysteine selectivity. ESI-MS, NMR and IR were employed to characterize the molecular structures of the two novel probes. These probes have better water solubility than the parent molecule DCP, and better cell penetration capability than CEP, which could further distinguish the cysteine concentration differences in …

Sustainable Soybean Oil And Lignin Derived Monomers And Polymers For Potential Use In Polymeric Materials, Ryan Miskin

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis project, high oleic soybean oil and lignin derived monomers and polymers are investigated. The properties of these monomers and polymers are characterized and discussed.

Chapter 1 details the potential impact of bio-based resources, monomers, and polymers on the environment. An introduction on polymerization techniques is given, and the overall objectives of my research are discussed.

In Chapter 2, attempts are made at modifying a soybean oil derived thermoplastic polymer into a vitrimer. The synthesis of thermoplastics is reviewed and the vitrimer trials outlined. Different scenarios that arose are examined and discussed.

Chapter 3 outlines the preparation of …

Novel Sustainable Polymers Derived From Renewable Rosin And Fatty Acids, Perry Wilbon

Theses and Dissertations

In the work of this dissertation, polymers derived from renewable bio-based resources prepared by various polymerization techniques were investigated. The properties of these polymeric materials were characterized and discussed. Rosin was first converted into acrylate or methacrylate monomers for atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Second, rosin was combined with vegetable oil to produce completely renewable novel polyesters by acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization. Third, degradable block copolymers were synthesized composed of polycaprolactone and rosin grafted polycaprolactone with the aid of ring-opening polymerization (ROP). Finally, degradable polyesters were produced using vegetable oil derivatives as starting materials. These new rosin and fatty …

Controlled Assembly Of Rodlike Viruses With Polymers, Tao Li, Laying Wu, Nisaraporn Suthiwangcharoen, Michael A. Bruckman, Dayton Cash, Joan S. Hudson, Soumitra Ghoshroy, Qian Wang

Faculty Publications

A practical method to assemble rodlike tobacco mosaic virus and bacteriophage M13 with polymers was developed, which afforded a 3D core–shell composite with morphological control.