Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Polyisobutylene (PIB) is a high performance synthetic elastomer possessing attractive properties including high eleasticity, chemical stability, and water/gas impermeability. It is currently used in many commercial products including the inner tubes of tires, the bladders of sporting equipment such as basketballs and soccer balls, lubricating oils and motor fuels, sealants, and even chewing gum. Despite these diverse applications, currently 80% of the global PIB production is directed towards the tire market. With the continued long term growth of the automobile uncertain due to rising fuel costs and environmental concerns, in order to ensure continued growth of the PIB market, it is critical to explore and expand the applications of PIB in new areas. The biomedical materials and devices markets are particularly attractive as they are projected to have strong long term growth owing to the aging population and provide opportunities for high value added products. In this project, the Gillies research group will work with LANXESS, a major global PIB supplier, to design, synthesize, and evaluate new PIB materials with functional and tunable properties for biomedical applications. The expertise of the Gillies group in the synthesis, functionalization, and testing of new biomaterials, combined with LANXESS' extensive experience in PIB synthesis, characterization, and product development provide the perfect combination to effectively bring these results from the lab to the market. The development of a new PIB based biomedical product would benefit the health and quality of life of Canadians. It would also stimulate the economic growth of LANXESS, whose PIB Research and Development labs as well as significant PIB production facilities are centered in Ontario, Canada.