New bio-based Polymers and Materials

Lead Institute AT Institute of Agricultural Technology

bio-based polymers and materials

Investigation and evaluation of methods for the production of bio-based polymers and materials, evaluation of new applications.

Synthetic polymers and materials make a decisive contribution to the preservation of our high standard of living. We analyze, evaluate and develop alternatives for a bio-based economy.

Background and Objective

In recent years, the development of bio-based polymers and materials has been driven by the growing environmental awareness and rising fossil fuel prices. Meanwhile, they represent not only supplements but real alternatives to conventional products. Currently, biobased polymers and materials are produced either directly through modification of natural polymers such as cellulose and starch or in integrated processes from carbohydrates. The products of these processes can our current starting compounds (monomers) and shall be integrated replacements directly into existing process chains as a drop-in or have new structures. The latter are as in the production of polylactic acid and polybutylene succinate as well as building blocks for functional polymers and materials, eg used in bio-based composite materials, adhesives, coatings additives and foams.
The potential of bio-based monomers for the production of new polymers and materials for a future bio-based economy is not yet sufficiently investigated and evaluated. We develop new bio-based polymers and materials according to the principles of green chemistry with the aim of substituting fossil fuels in established products and applications. We turn our special attention to the aspects of functionality, economy and process and product safety.

Approach

The basis for answering our questions is extensive knowledge about the production, processing and material properties of polymeric compounds. Besides the analysis of commercial products, our work focuses on the application-specific development and optimization of new bio-based polymers and materials. As part of this work we synthesize new functional structures and conduct extensive structural and material characterizations by:

Polymer synthesis

The development of new bio-based polymers and materials is a main focus of our work. Using specially selected for the applications to be substituted monomers physical, thermochemical and mechanical and processing relevant properties are set basically. Further optimization is done by selective copolymerization, derivatisation, additivation and reinforcement.

Structural and material characterization
In order to understand and improve the properties of new polymers and materials, it is essential to correlate structural elements with specific functionalities. The identification of existing structure-property relationships is a central task of our work. We use structure-determining spectroscopic and chromatographic methods, eg infrared spectroscopy, size exclusion chromatography with light scattering detection and mass spectrometry. By capturing different structural parameters, these methods complement each other very well and provide comprehensive structural images.
For the characterization of materials we use, a various testing machines and methods in an air-conditioned laboratory (load range <1 g to 1 t). The mechanical data is complemented by rheological and thermal analysis methods. They allow the determination of the melting and recrystallization, the visco-elastic behavior and of the thermal stability. Data and parameters are used to model the material behavior under application conditions and to evaluate the potential application.

Thünen-Contact

Storz, Henning

AT Institute of Agricultural Technology

Duration

Permanent task 10.2010 - 12.2025

Publications on the project

0
Menya E, Jjagwe J, Kalibbala HM, Storz H, Olupot PW (2023) Progress in deployment of biomass-based activated carbon in point-of-use filters for removal of emerging contaminants from water: A review. Chem Eng Res Des 192:412-440, DOI:10.1016/j.cherd.2023.02.045
1
Ogwang G, Olupot PW, Kasedde H, Menya E, Storz H, Kiros Y (2021) Experimental evaluation of rice husk ash for applications in geopolymer mortars. J Biores Bioprod 6(2):160-167, DOI:10.1016/j.jobab.2021.02.008
https://literatur.thuenen.de/digbib_extern/dn063718.pdf
2
Mastrolitti S, Borsella E, Giuliano A, Petrone MT, De Bari I, Gosselink R, van Erven G, Annevelink E, Triantafyllidis KS, Stichnothe H, Storz H, Lange H, Bell G (2021) Sustainable lignin valorization : Technical lignin, processes and market development ; IEA Bioenergy: Task 42, October 2021. IEA Bioenergy, 193 p
3
Menya E, Olupot PW, Storz H, Lubwama M, Kiros Y, John MJ (2020) Effect of alkaline pretreatment on the thermal behavior and chemical properties of rice husk varieties in relation to activated carbon production. J Therm Anal Calorim 139:1681-1691, DOI:10.1007/s10973-019-08553-6
4
Rovers AK, Bartsch J, Storz H, Zander K (2020) Mulchfolien aus biobasierten bioabbaubaren Kunststoffen: Ergebnisse aus Experteninterviews zu ihrem Einsatz in Gartenbaubetrieben. Schr Gesellsch Wirtsch Sozialwiss Landbaues 55:457-459
5
Menya E, Olupot PW, Storz H, Lubwama M, Kiros Y, John MJ (2020) Optimization of pyrolysis conditions for char production from rice husks and its characterization as a precursor for production of activated carbon. Biomass Conversion Biorefinery 10:57-72, DOI:10.1007/s13399-019-00399-0
6
Bartsch J, Rovers AK, Storz H, Zander K (2020) Schlussbericht zum Vorhaben "Bioabbaubare biobasierte Kunststoffe - Handlungsempfehlungen für den zweckmäßigen Einsatz". 168 p
7
Jeske H, Kandula M, Stammen E, Storz H, Wolter C (2019) Schlussbericht zum Verbundvorhaben "Entwicklung von epoxid-basierten Bindern auf Basis nachwachsender Rohstoffe für den Einsatz in Lithium-Ionen-Batterien (BeBAT)" : Laufzeit: 01.11.2015 bis 31.10.2018. Braunschweig: Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, 42 p
https://literatur.thuenen.de/digbib_extern/dn061865.pdf
8
Paas J, Steffen M, Storz H (2019) Schlussbericht zum Vorhaben "Entwicklung biobasierter nicht reaktiver Hotmelt-Klebstoffe" : Laufzeit: 01.07.2015 bis 31.12.2018. Braunschweig: Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut, 66 p
https://literatur.thuenen.de/digbib_extern/dn061864.pdf
9
Wibowo AH, Listiyaningrum L, Firdaus M, Widjonarko DM, Storz H (2018) An improvement of polypropylene itaconate base coating by simultaneous condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate. Prog Organic Coat 125:119-127, DOI:10.1016/j.porgcoat.2018.09.006
10
Kandula M, Jeske H, Stammen E, Storz H, Dilger K (2018) Bio-Based epoxy adhesives as alternative for lithium ion battery binders. In: in-adhesives : Symposium on innovations in adhesives and their applications. Kirchseeon: MKVS, pp 93-102
11
Menya E, Olupot PW, Storz H, Lubwama M, Kiros Y (2018) Characterization and alkaline pretreatment of rice husk varieties in Uganda for potential utilization as precursors in the production of activated carbon and other value-added products. Waste Manag 81:104-116, DOI:10.1016/j.wasman.2018.09.050
12
Paas J, Storz H (2018) Synthese und Charakterisierung von Methylbernsteinsäure-basierten Biopolyestern. Chemie Ingenieur Technik 90(9):1208-1209, DOI:10.1002/cite.201855169
13
Wibowo AH, Crysandi R, Verdina A, Makhnunah N, Wijayanta AT, Storz H (2017) Characterization of polypropylene itaconate in dinyl benzene and methylene bisacrylamide. Mat Chem Phys 186:552-560, DOI:10.1016/j.matchemphys.2016.11.036
14
Stichnothe H, Storz H, Meier D, De Bari I, Thomas S (2016) Development of second-generation biorefineries. In: Lamers P, Searcy E, Hess JR, Stichnothe H (eds) Developing the global bioeconomy : technical, market, and environmental lessons from bioenergy. Amsterdam; Boston; Heidelberg: Elsevier, pp 11-40