Eutectic mixtures
This subtheme addresses probably the most important materials challenge, namely that materials should be made and used in a responsible manner economically, environmentally and socially. We study the possibilities of re-using plastics from waste, such as by mixing them with virgin polymers.
The focus is on the mechanical properties of these recycled polymer systems, mainly looking at bulk polymers such as PE and PP but also with attention to engineering polymers such as (co)polyesters and (co)polyamides.The central theme is coupling the molecular aspects of the polymers to macroscopic dynamics and related properties. A mathematical approach based upon the physical and chemical principles of polymers is followed to perform data-driven analyses of properties as a function of structure and processing. By analyzing the complete value chain from resources all the way to end products and recycling opportunities, the aim is for the upcycling of polymers rather than downcycling. Furthermore, our group has also contributed to fundamental knowledge on eutectic mixtures, which are candidates for more sustainable solvents for the chemical industry, and aims to study emulsions based upon such eutectic solvents.
Our work employs bioinspired synthesis approaches and colloids made from abundant and renewable/bioderived resources such as biogenic and bioinspired silicas to study how function emerges from morphology in order to find replacements for current polluting solutions.
Organic solvents are still used frequently in the chemical industry. For health and environmental reasons there is a strong tendency to develop ‘greener’ replacements. We study binary systems, of which the separate building blocks are typically solid at room temperature, but that become liquid upon mixing. Such systems are characterized by an eutectic point. We focus on studying and understanding the phase behaviour of such systems and relate this to the molecular structures involved. This offers fundamental insights that form the basis for applications of such solvents.