Green Polymers

The Green Polymers group applies science and engineering principles to enable the more sustainable generation and use of polymeric materials.

Main expertise fields

• Generation of monomers, pre-polymers and fillers from renewable resources
• Synthesis, formulation and structure-properties relations of bio-based / sustainable thermoplastics, thermosets and their composites
• Materials classes: aminoplasts, benzoxazines, cellulose & cellulosics, elastomers & rubbers, epoxies, fiber composites, interpenetrating networks, lignin, nanoparticles & nanocomposites, plant oils & derivatives, phenolic resins, polyesters, polysaccharides & derivatives, polyurethanes (conventional & non-isocyanate, foams), silicones, vinyl ester resins, vitrimers
• Process approaches: additive manufacturing, chemical recycling, composite & nanocomposite processing, compression molding, extrusion, injection molding, mechanical recycling
• Characterization techniques: FTIR, NIR & NMR spectroscopy, fire testing, gas sorption & surface area analysis, GPC, mass spectrometry, permeability testing, porosimetry, rheology, thermal analysis, x-ray diffraction

Research challenge

• Design of monomers, (pre-)polymers and fillers with enhanced safety and sustainability in mind
• Extraction, isolation and chemical modification of monomers, (pre-)polymers and fillers from biomass
• Identifying of safer, more sustainable synthetic methods and (re-)processing approaches
• Developing new approaches to manage the end-of-life of polymeric materials
• Ensuring that solutions deliver necessary performance levels, scalability, industrial relevance and socioeconomic impact

Application areas

• Additive manufacturing
• Adhesives and coatings
• Automotive and transportation
• Biomedical applications
• Electronics and electrical applications
• High-performance polymeric materials
• Packaging
• Space & aerospace
• Structural materials
• New polymers and additives for tires

Main assets

• 3DPRINTINN (ongoing)
  • Bio-derived materials for additive manufacturing

• CATBIOSE (ongoing)
  • Hemicellulose-derived polyesters

• Goodyear-LIST partnership (ongoing)
  • Bio-based process & performance additives
  • Novel traction resins
  • Additive compatibility, migration and performance

• LIGNOBENZ (ongoing)
  • Lignin-based benzoxazine resins

• Other assets (academic & industrial)
  • Alternative thermoset, adhesive and coating formulations for industrial applications
  • Bio-based epoxies, vitrimers and fiber composites
  • Cardanol-based additives and polymeric materials
  • High performance foams and porous materials for industrial applications
  • Nanocomposites adapted to specific industrial needs

Equipment

• Anton Paar MCR 302 rheometer
• Christ Martin Alpha 3-4 LSCbasic freeze dryer
• LabThink VAC-VBS permeation analyser
• Masuko MKZA10-20J Supermasscolloider ultra-fine friction grinder
• MBraun LABStar four-arm glove box
• MBraun SPS-800 solvent purification systems
• Parr 4564 benchtop carbon dioxide reactor
• Schlenk lines
• Synthesis reactors up to 5 L
• Top Industrie custom-built polycondensation reactor
• UV conveyer
• Vacuum ovens

Selected publications

• Schmidt, D. F. Processing of polymer nanocomposites. In Industry Guide to Polymer Nanocomposites, 1. ed.; Beyer, G., Ed.; A PID technical book; Plastics Information Direct: Bristol, 2009.
• Dunkerley, E.; Schmidt, D. F. Understanding the Consequences of Intercalation Using Model Polymer Nanolaminates. Macromolecules 2015, 48 (20), 7620–7630.
• Puchot, L.; Verge, P.; Fouquet, T.; Vancaeyzeele, C.; Vidal, F.; Habibi, Y. Breaking the Symmetry of Dibenzoxazines: A Paradigm to Tailor the Design of Bio-Based Thermosets. Green Chem. 2016, 18 (11), 3346–3353.
• Buono, P.; Duval, A.; Averous, L.; Habibi, Y. Lignin-Based Materials Through Thiol-Maleimide “Click” Polymerization. ChemSusChem 2017, 10 (5), 984–992.
• Liu, W.; Reynaud, E.; Schmidt, D. F. Catalyst Selection, Creep, and Stress Relaxation in High-Performance Epoxy Vitrimers. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 2017, 56 (10), 2667–2672.
• Trejo-Machin, A.; Verge, P.; Puchot, L.; Quintana, R. Phloretic Acid as an Alternative to the Phenolation of Aliphatic Hydroxyls for the Elaboration of Polybenzoxazine. Green Chem. 2017, 19 (21), 5065–5073.
• Valdebenito, F.; García, R.; Cruces, K.; Ciudad, G.; Chinga-Carrasco, G.; Habibi, Y. CO ₂ Adsorption of Surface-Modified Cellulose Nanofibril Films Derived from Agricultural Wastes. ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2018, 6 (10), 12603–12612.
• Kuncho, C. N.; Liu, W.; Möller, J.; Kammleiter, J.; Stehle, J.; Kokil, A.; Reynaud, E.; Schmidt, D. F.. In Enhancing the Sustainability of High-Performance Fiber Composites ACS Symposium Series; Cheng, H. N., Gross, R. A., Smith, P. B., Eds.; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018; Vol. 1310, pp 281–295.
• Gesesse, G. D.; Li, C.; Paineau, E.; Habibi, Y.; Remita, H.; Colbeau-Justin, C.; Ghazzal, M. N. Enhanced Photogenerated Charge Carriers and Photocatalytic Activity of Biotemplated Mesoporous TiO ₂ Films with a Chiral Nematic Structure. Chem. Mater. 2019, 31 (13), 4851–4863.
• Quienne, B.; Kasmi, N.; Dieden, R.; Caillol, S.; Habibi, Y. Isocyanate-Free Fully Biobased Star Polyester-Urethanes: Synthesis and Thermal Properties. Biomacromolecules 2020, 21 (5), 1943–1951.
• Trejo-Machin, A.; Adjaoud, A.; Puchot, L.; Dieden, R.; Verge, P. Elucidating the Thermal and Polymerization Behaviours of Benzoxazines from Lignin Derivatives. European Polymer Journal 2020, 124, 109468.