Block and graft copolymers based on biobased polylimonenecarbonate with promising material properties

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Andreas Greiner
• Subject Area: Polymer Materials
• Term: from 2020 to 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 438886960

Biobased polymers are particularly sustainable if they are not obtained from vital raw materials. One such polymer is the newly developed poly(limonene carbonate), PLimC for short, which can be obtained after epoxidation of limonene (obtained from organge shells) by metal complex-catalyzed copolymerization of limonene oxide with CO2. This PLimC is characterized by a promising chemical and physical property profile. In the context of this project, novel synthesis approaches to block and graft copolymers will be investigated in order to significantly extend the property profile by complex polymer structures on the one hand and to make the PLimC available by phase mediators also for blends with classical polymers on the other hand in order to improve their sustainability. For the successful application of these blends, the above-mentioned block and graft copolymers will be investigated as phase mediators. The aim is to achieve at least satisfactory mechanical properties by controlling the blend morphology. The block and graft copolymers of PLimC will be systematically investigated with respect to their morphological structure in solution and in the solid state as well as their rheological and mechanical properties. Within the scope of preliminary work, we have already achieved extremely interesting and sometimes surprising results with regard to the phase morphology of PLimC block copolymers. These results are expected to lead to a significant increase in knowledge about the biobased PLimC as a new substance class for further work. We expect that the results of this project will establish PLimC as a novel biobased material.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants