Dina Maniar: Biobased polymers and nanocomposites – green synthesis, properties, and applications

In the past one hundred years, the use of plastics has grown exponentially. Due to their versatile properties, the worldwide application has been increased twentyfold. Plastics contribute to comfort, safety, durability and hygiene.

In the last two decades, environmental issues due to plastic pollution have become ubiquitous. Hence, tremendous efforts to develop sustainable polymer alternatives from renewable resources have become a necessity. In the first part of this talk I will discuss examples showing the development of sustainable polymer alternatives from renewable resources, namely furan based polymers. The similarity between furan and phenyl rings unfolds the opportunity to a biobased alternative for phenyl-based polymers i.e., polyethylene terephthalate (PET) used in plastic bottles.1 A fundamental understanding of the synthesis of these furan polymers through efficient and environmentally friendly processes is provided. 2-5

Polymeric nanocomposites has gained much interest in the scientific community thanks to their unique capability to combine the properties of polymers, such as toughness and elasticity, with those of inorganic materials, such as optical and electronic properties. In the second part of the talk, I will introduce my work on the utilization of block copolymers (BCP) as template material for infiltration of inorganic precursors. The self-assembly of BCP shows a high potential as advanced templates in nanolithography processes for the production of advanced semiconductor devices.6

1. Loos, K.; Zhang, R.; Pereira, I.; Agostinho, B.; Hu, H.; Maniar, D.; Sbirrazzuoli, N.; Silvestre, A. J. D.; Guigo, N.; Sousa, A. F., A Perspective on PEF Synthesis, Properties, and End-Life. Frontiers in Chemistry 2020, 8 (585).

2. Jiang, Y.; Maniar, D.; Woortman, A. J. J.; Loos, K., Enzymatic synthesis of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid-based semi-aromatic polyamides: enzymatic polymerization kinetics, effect of diamine chain length and thermal properties. RSC Advances 2016, 6 (72), 67941-67953.

3. Maniar, D.; Hohmann, K. F.; Jiang, Y.; Woortman, A. J. J.; van Dijken, J.; Loos, K., Enzymatic Polymerization of Dimethyl 2,5-Furandicarboxylate and Heteroatom Diamines. ACS Omega 2018, 3 (6), 7077-7085.

4. Maniar, D.; Jiang, Y.; Woortman, A. J. J.; van Dijken, J.; Loos, K., Furan-Based Copolyesters from Renewable Resources: Enzymatic Synthesis and Properties. ChemSusChem 2019, 12 (5), 990-999.

5. Maniar, D.; Silvianti, F.; Ospina, V. M.; Woortman, A. J. J.; van Dijken, J.; Loos, K., On the way to greener furanic-aliphatic poly(ester amide)s: Enzymatic polymerization in ionic liquid. Polymer 2020, 205, 122662.

6. Jeong, S.-J.; Xia, G.; Kim, B. H.; Shin, D. O.; Kwon, S.-H.; Kang, S.-W.; Kim, S. O., Universal Block Copolymer Lithography for Metals, Semiconductors, Ceramics, and Polymers. Advanced Materials 2008, 20 (10), 1898-1904.