Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

The plastic industry has experienced substantial challenges associated with raw materials sustainability, safety, and environmental pollution concerns. The indiscriminate disposal of petrochemical-derived plastics into the environment causes damage that is irreparable in the short term and is intensifying. The future of plastic and material sustainability and associated industries heavily depends on innovations in novel technologies, backed by sound scientific advances in fundamental knowledge in polymer synthesis and fabrication. This proposal describes a comprehensive research program focused on fundamental research for innovating sustainable polymers and fabrication platforms for a range of material applications, such as rubber goods, agri-food plastics, and packaging. This work encompasses comprehensive strategies for the development of novel routes and modification chemistries for the conversion of renewable naturally occurring starting materials into sustainable, multifunctional, and multiphase polymers and plastics. Mekonnen's research program specifically aims to advance a new design framework for: (i) biodegradable plastics with programmed latency, (ii) next-generation recyclable and high-performance rubber goods, (iii) sustainable nanomaterial enabled antimicrobial materials, and (iv) test real life application of material prototypes using scalable processes. The program will significantly enhance the portfolio of sustainable polymers and nanomaterial-enabled functional materials that will have practical applications in food packaging, rubber goods, agri-food industry, and healthcare. The employment of sustainable feedstock for material production aligns directly with the vision for a circular economy and avoids the undesired end-of-life profiles of petrochemical plastics. The collaborative and interdisciplinary nature of the proposed research will provide training of students and postdoctoral fellows with training in chemistry, physics, biology and engineering and will prepare them for future careers in Academia, Industry and Governmental Institutions.