Abstract:
Numerous designer polymers have been developed to address the growing number of needs in all technological areas. We pose the question, ‘Can one technology platform be made sufficiently versatile and robust so that it can significantly benefit many, but certainly not all, of society’s needs?’.
For this purpose, we elected to use thermoplastic elastomers, a class of self-networking macromolecules that are currently used in numerous commodity applications. In other words, these materials are abundantly available, and new ones are being synthesised from sustainable sources. Because of their innate ability to form networks and impart elasticity, we can exploit their mechanical properties while functionalising them for specific applications. Here, several of these applications will be addressed, ranging from tunable compatibilisers and rubber-toughening agents in blends to stimuli-responsive standalone materials.
Of particular interest in this vein are gas-separation membranes for removing basic (NH3) and acid (CO2) gases from gas mixtures [1], solar cells that can be designed to mimic leaves [2] or function as dye-sensitised devices [3], antimicrobial materials that can kill (to 99.9999+%) Gram-positive/negative and drug-resistant bacteria, viruses (including SARS-CoV-2) and fungi in ~5 min [4], and a replacement for Nafion as the anionic exchange membrane in bipolar electrolysers to achieve efficient water dissociation for green hydrogen production or atmospheric/oceanic carbon capture [5].
References
[1] Dai, Z., et al., NPG Asia Mater., 11, 53 (2019).
[2] Al-Mohsin, H.A., et al., Adv. Energy Mater., 5, 1401941 (2015).
[3] Al-Mohsin, H.A., et al., Sol. RRL, 2, 1700145 (2018).
[4] Peddinti, B.S.T., et al., Mater. Horiz., 6, 2056 (2019).
[5] Sasmal, S., et al., Nat. Mater. (2024; doi.org/10.1038/s41563-024-01943-8)
Biography:
Professor Richard Spontak received his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in chemical engineering from Penn State Univesity. and U.C. Berkeley, respectively, and pursued post-doctoral studies at the University of Cambridge and the Institute for Energy Technology (Norway) before joining the Procter & Gamble Company. in 1990.
In 1992, he transitioned to NC State University., where he is a Distinguished Professor. He has published >300 peer-reviewed journal papers and >40 book chapters and invited works, and he has presented >400 invited lectures worldwide. In recognition of his research, he has received numerous honours including the ACS Chemistry of Thermoplastic Elastomers Award (Rubber), the ACS Tess Award in Coatings (PMSE), the SPSJ International Award, the IOM3 Colwyn Medal and Medal for Excellence, the SPE International Award, and the NC State Holladay Medal. He is a fellow of the APS, RSC, IOM3, and ACS-PMSE and a member of the Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences, and he holds an honorary doctorate from NTNU.
