Wang Yuzhong’s team of the College of Chemistry has got approved for two key national R & D projects according to the High-Tech Research and Development Center of the Ministry of Science and Technology. The first key project is the “repeatable chemical cycle biodegradable polymer materials” of “high-end functional and intelligent materials” and the second is the “key technology development of fire retardant polymer materials for high-end applications of “advanced structure and composite materials”.
“Repeatable chemical cycle biodegradable polymer materials”-- a major project of the “high-end functional and intelligent materials”
In September 2019, General Secretary Xi chaired the tenth meeting ofthe Group of the Central Government on Comprehensively Deepening the Reform, pointing out that "to deal with plastic pollution, we should firmly establish a new development concept, orderly prohibit and restrict the production, sales and use of some plastic products, and actively promote recyclable, and degradable substitutes". Biodegradable polymer materials with repeated chemical cycle are polymer materials of "recyclability, easy recovery and degradability". It not only suffices the environmental harmless consumption, but also constructs the chemical closed-loop cycle of "monomer ⇔ polymer", which provides a solution to the global environmental pollution and resource waste caused by traditional non-degradable and difficult to recycle disposable plastic products from the source. However, there are no such products and technologies in the market. Either the monomer recovery rate is low during depolymerization, or it is difficult to synthesize high molecular weight polymers. Therefore, it is urgent to tackle key research and achieve technological breakthrough.
The project aims at the industrial development and application needs of three typical biodegradable polymer materials with different mechanical and thermal properties: poly (p-dioxane cyclohexanone) (PPDO), polycaprolactone (PCL) and L-polylactic acid (PLLA). It adopts the approach of "industry-university-research-application" to promote the research so that the chemical cycle technology of PPDO, PCL and PLLA is at the front in the world. The team will carry out holistic and systematic research drawing upon the theoretical research of thermodynamics kinetics, the clarification of polymerization depolymerization mechanism, the design and preparation of key catalysts, the breakthrough of core technology, large-scale synthesis and production demonstration, etc.
“Key technology development of fire retardant polymer materials for high-end applications, a major project of “advanced structure and composite materials”.
The seven infrastructure fields epitomized by 5G communication and rail transit have developed rapidly in China, which has brought opportunities and challenges to the development of key materials in relevant high-end manufacturing industries. Developed countries have long had arrangements in these areas. Our country, however, lags behind the demand and development of fire retardant technology for some key materials, so it is urgent to tackle key problems and achieve technological breakthrough.
Targeting the urgent demand of the above-mentioned high-end manufacturing industry for high-performance fire retardant polymer materials, the project is oriented toward the main economic battlefield and serves the high-quality development of typical polymer materials in high-end application fields. Researching polymer materials such as epoxy resin, thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer, polyurea elastomer, polyester, polycarbonate and nylon 66, this project is designed to work out the preparation and performance control technology of halogen-free fire retardant materials. The research team intends to eventually realize the large-scale production and application demonstration of such materials, and provide independent supply of key fire retardant materials, enhancing the core competitiveness of fire retardant polymer materials in high-end applications.
The key projects of the National Key R & D Program of Chinafocus on the major strategic tasks of the country and aim to solve the principal problems in the current national development. The approval of the two projects is the recognition of our university’s scientific research ability in the fields of chemistry and materials by the Ministry of Science and Technology. The research of the projects will strongly support the high-quality development of Chemistry and Materials Science.
