(4af) A Sustainable Future for Manufacturing: Enabling Scalable Manufacturing of Polymeric Materials in Synergy with Educational Initiatives

Due to their low cost and desirable material properties, polymer-based materials and composites are widely used in applications from consumer goods to aircraft; however, there is increasing concern about the quantity and fate of plastics released in the environment. Additionally, processing of both plastics and composites requires high temperatures for hours (or sometimes days), contributing to their energy footprint.[1] The polymer industry is estimated to contribute directly and indirectly to 37% of total global greenhouse gas emissions, through petroleum feedstock, production, and byproducts.

My research focuses on the creation of methods for manufacturing of polymers and their composites, in a rapid, energy-efficient manner. The central technique I use and study in my graduate studies is known as interfacial polymerization (IP), a process by which a polymer is formed at the interface between two immiscible liquids (often water and an organic solvent), each containing one type of reactive species (initiator or monomers).[2] This type of reaction can produce high performance polymers (e.g. aramids or polyesters) at ambient conditions, in seconds. During my Ph.D., I have developed two scalable manufacturing processes based on IP: (1) In-situ Interfacial Polymerization (ISIP), which rapidly polymerizes within nanostructured scaffolds to form composites with tunable morphology,[3] and (2) Interfacial Photopolymerization (IPP) which enables photopolymerization additive manufacturing (3D printing) of thermoplastics, contrasting current techniques that are restricted to non-recyclable thermoset polymers. For each process, I have combined comprehensive experimental studies with macrokinetics modeling describing the reaction and transport kinetics involved, therefore enabling prediction of material morphology and performance.

Additionally, my work focuses on developing manufacturing methods and devices in synergy with education. For example, I have led the design and fabrication of a compact dark-field imaging device which provides a low-cost energy-effective solution to teachers and field biologists for high-resolution visualization of difficult-to-image biological samples.[4] During my graduate studies, I am also leading a project on 3D printing of salt dough, a food-safe modelling material made of flour, salt, and water, for early childhood education. As a faculty member, I am eager to combine my knowledge in digital manufacturing techniques and optical materials with textiles, to design scalable functional fabric solutions which can be processed and reprocessed in a sustainable fashion. I also strive to promote a comprehensive approach that fully integrates groundbreaking manufacturing research and education. I believe such an outlook has great potential to contribute to a more sustainable future, by driving innovations in energy-efficient scalable manufacturing, as well as cultivating intellectual curiosity through accessible teaching and research.

Research Interests:

polymer science, green manufacturing, additive manufacturing, functional materials.

Teaching Interests:

Polymer synthesis, polymer physics, kinetics, optics, solid mechanics, heat and mass transfer.

References:

[1] C. A. C. Chazot and A. J. Hart, “Understanding and control of interactions between carbon nanotubes and polymers for manufacturing of high-performance composite materials,” Compos. Sci. Technol., vol. 183, p. 107795, Oct. 2019, doi: 10.1016/J.COMPSCITECH.2019.107795.

[2] P. W. Morgan, “Interfacial Polymerization,” in Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2011.

[3] C. A. C. Chazot, C. K. Jons, and A. J. Hart, “In Situ Interfacial Polymerization: A Technique for Rapid Formation of Highly Loaded Carbon Nanotube‐Polymer Composites,” Adv. Funct. Mater., vol. 30, no. 52, p. 2005499, Dec. 2020, doi: 10.1002/adfm.202005499.

[4] C. A. C. Chazot et al., “Luminescent surfaces with tailored angular emission for compact dark-field imaging devices,” Nat. Photonics, vol. 14, no. May, 2020, doi: 10.1038/s41566-020-0593-1.

Figure 1: Venn diagram representing my research interests. Select images of my work on (a) a new dark-field device for teachers and field biologists, (b) IPP 3D printing of thermoplastic polymers and (c) 3D printing of salt dough for early-childhood education.