###Development of biopolymeric and composite functional materials for a circular economy
Project ID: 2228bd1111 (You will need this ID for your application)
Research Theme: Advanced Materials
UCL Lead department: Chemical Engineering
Lead Supervisor: Diego Lopez Barreiro
Project Summary:
Biopolymers have a propensity towards molecular self-assembly that underpins their ability in nature to generate functional materials with remarkable performance. Thus, biopolymers are gaining increasing attention as replacements of fossil-based polymers as a source of synthetic functional materials. Scientists are intensively researching biopolymers harvested from natural sources (e.g., silk, collagen, cellulose, or chitin) due to their abundance, sustainability, biodegradability, and tuneable structural and mechanical properties. Furthermore, developments in biotechnology are making it increasingly possible to engineer new recombinant protein-based biopolymers with defined sequences and to produce them via microbial bioprocesses.
In this project you will develop circular functional materials from biobased resources that are locally available. Specifically, you will research natural and recombinant protein biopolymers for the development of materials (films, hydrogels) with tailored mechanical properties and functionalities in applications such as flexible electronics, water purification, or soft robotics. Furthermore, you will combine biopolymers with biobased carbons to enhance the mechanical properties, electrical conductivity, or stimuli-responsiveness of the resulting materials. Biobased carbons (e.g., conductive activated carbons or fluorescent nanoparticles) will be produced via hydrothermal processing of biomass. You will use a range of physicochemical characterisation techniques to understand how the structures and mechanics of these materials are impacted by intrinsic biopolymer parameters (e.g., sequence, molecular weight, crystallinity) or extrinsic factors (e.g., humidity, temperature, addition of biobased carbons).
You should have a first-class UK honours degree (or overseas equivalents) in a relevant engineering or science subject. The post will be based at the Manufacturing Futures Lab, a brand new and interdisciplinary facility on the UCL East campus. You will be encouraged to attend international conferences, publish the outcomes of the project, and interact with colleagues at UCL and other institutions to disseminate your work.