Projects

Assessment of the pulping and recyclability, as well as impact of material modification on biodegradability is needed to understand how compatible these new bioplastic products are with existing waste management systems, and to help shape new waste systems.

The aim of this project is to evaluate the criteria and methods for assessing whether a plastic is biodegradable. In particular, the project will examine how the biodegradability of a product with unknown biodegradation properties will be determined.

Bioplastics are forecast to play an increasingly important role in addressing the plastic pollution problem. The aims of this project are to develop commercially relevant bioplastic products and to understand the (bio)degradation and impacts of those bioplastics in various environments.

Sustainabilty of end-of-life options for hygiene products will be examined, with a focus on end-of-life options.

Polyurethanes (PUs) are one of the most versatile polymers with applications in a wide range of fields. This project aims to prepare biobased, nanocomposite, polyurethane films with antimicrobial properties.

Currently, there are no commercial bioderived and biodegradable films due to the processing difficulties encountered with existing bioplastics. Instead, nearly all films are made from fossil-fuel derived polymers, which are non-biodegradable.

The scourge of plastic on beaches and in the sea is an increasingly common sight and no amount of cleaning up will fix this problem if we don’t tackle plastic waste at the source.