GTR Seminar
Date: April 8(Tue), 2025,16:00-17:30
Venue: 132 Lecture Room, 3F, Eng. Building No. 1
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Stefan Mecking (Universität Kontanz, German)
Title: Closed Loop Recyclable and Degradable Polyethylene-Like Materials Enabled by Catalysis
The excellent materials properties of polyethylene, the largest produced synthetic plastic, originate from a crystalline packing of the (linear) hydrocarbon chains. The inert nature of the hydrocarbon backbone of polyethylene and other common plastics hinders chemical recycling, however, and also renders material lost to the environment persistent for many decades. Catalytic approaches enable an introduction of in-chain functional groups in a polyethylene chain, either via chain growth olefin copolymerization or step growth polycondensation of long-chain monomers, obtained from natural oils or waste feedstocks. These yield e.g. polyesters with solid state structures and materials and processing properties similar to polyethylene (HDPE). At the same time, these materials can be closed-loop recycled under mild conditions via the low density of in-chain functional groups. The in-chain groups can also render the materials biodegradable. Stable isotope labelling during synthesis allows for quantification of the mineralization in different environments including soil.
Language:English
Publications is here
Host:Masami kamigaito (Ex.5400)
★GTR international students only
These seminars are "GTR Lecture series on multidisciplinary problems (1pt.)".
Enroll in gtr e-portfolio (Dead line: April 6)．Grades will be judged by report. Report submission from TACT by April 22.