8/8/2019 Industrial Biopolymers Knowledge Transfer Centre
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industrial biopolymersKnowledge Transfer Centre
Aim
The centre is unded by ERDF and WAG, it is a jointventure
between Bangor University and Glyndw r University which aims to
help companies reduce their carbon
ootprint o their products by replacing conventionalpetrochemical
polymers with their bio-based alternatives.
The centre undertakes strategic and applied research,training
and consultancy in polymer and colloid chemistry.We have speci c
expertise in characterization andapplications o both natural and
synthetic polymers.These materials are used in a variety o
industrialprocesses and products including: ood,
pharmaceuticals,personal care, cosmetics, inks, coatings,
householdcleaning, adhesives, water puri cation etc.
What is a Biopolymer?
Biopolymers include both bio-based polymers made rombiomass
resources, where the polymers are biologicallyderived and
Bio-degradable polymers which are syntheticoil-based polymers and
exhibit certain degrees o inherentbio-degradability or have been
chemically modi ed to aidbio-degradation. Biopolymers have a range
o uses in the
ormulation o products such as oods, pharmaceuticals,cosmetics,
sur ace coatings etc because o their abilityto impart viscosity,
orm gels and stabilise both emulsionsand dispersions.
Biopolymers are expected to reduce environmentalimpacts o
packaging by shrinking land ll requirementsand reducing the
dependence on non-renewableresources. A number o biopolymers are
availableincluding polylactic acid (PLA), polyhydroxyalcanoates
(PHA), thermoplastic starches (TPS), cellulosic and whole-plant
materials and a range o other aliphaticesters.
Research and Development Opportunities:The centre welcomes
enquiries rom academia andindustry to establish new co-operative
research links.Projects can vary rom short-term consultancy to
morelong term collaborations through schemes such asTechnology
Strategy Board Collaborative R&D, KnowledgeTrans er
Partnerships (KTP), Research Council undedcollaborations (e.g..
EPSRC, BBSRC, NERC), EuropeanUnion Funding and contract
research.
Facilities:
Gel permeation chromatography and fow eld
ractionation coupled with multi-angle laser lightdetection or
determination o molecular mass opolymers.Controlled stress and
controlled strain rheometry todetermine steady shear viscosity,
storage and lossmoduli and normal orces o solutions and so t
solids.Capillary break-up rheometry or measurement oextensional
viscosity o fuid systems.Di erential scanning calorimetry to
monitor con ormation transitions / gelation o polymers
insolution.Isothermal titration calorimetry to determine enthalpy
opolymer-solute interactions in solution.Electron spin resonance
spectroscopy to determine thecon ormation o polymers on sur aces
and the polymer-
cation interactions.Static and dynamic sur ace tension to
determine theinter acial properties o polymers and sur actants.
Laser Doppler velocimetry to determine the zetapotential o
particles and isoelectric point o proteins.Photon correlation
spectroscopy to determinethe hydrodynamic size o polymer molecules
andnanoparticles.Laser di raction to determine particle size
distribution.Water Vapor transmission rate (Mocon 1/50) with
atesting range 0.1-1000gm/m2/day.Gas permeability tester
(Lyssy-L10) capable odetecting air, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon
dioxide, lighthydrocarbons and inert gases or testing lms,
oils,laminates and paper rom 0.01-2mm.Twin screw compounder /
Mixing LTE: 26mm co-rotating TSE, modular clam shell barrel o
length 40
L/D. 15KW motor/RPM o 800.Melt fow indexer (Ray-Ran 5MPCA) a
measure o theease o fow o the melt o a thermoplastic polymer,
themelt volumetric rate, shear stress and density/viscosityat
temperature.
Contact:Anna Davies, Glyndw r University Tel: 01978 293126
email: [email protected] Elias, Bangor University Tel:
01248 388594 email: [email protected]
