OUR group has made advances in depolymerization of lignin selectively to bisphenols and the use of these monomers to make thermoset plastics that can be chemically recycled. We investigate how catalysts can improve biomass conversion and how monomer structure affects the thermal and mechanical properties of materials.

 

WE have ongoing effort in catalytic upcycling of polyethylene to make high-value chemicals, kinetics and mechanism of single-site polymerization catalysts, and bio-inspired catalysis in water. Our group is part of the Energy Frontiers Research Center on Materials for Water and Energy Systems. We design and prepare polymers containing active sites for capture and release of resources from produced water.

OUR research is funded by grants from the Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. We are also part of the Mellichamp Academic Initiative on Sustainable Materials and Product Design.