Reusable carboxylic acid solvents

The proposal focuses on using safe, non-toxic fatty acids as bio-derived and recyclable solvents for extraction of biomass polymers/waste plastics (e.g. wood chips, woody or agricultural biomass, algae, oil bottles). We will employ a new approach using fatty acids that are responsive to pH changes such that their properties can be switched from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. We will also test fatty acids as switchable solvents for making lignin particles dispersed in water and also for improving the dispersibility of cellulose nanocrystals in organic solvents. This approach could provide numerous potential applications,
including coatings, adhesives, fillers, binders, etc. BC Research Inc., our partner organization, has a keen interest in discovering and exploiting greener processes to that eliminate the use of flammable solvents and are less energy intensive.

Faculty Supervisor:

Michael Cunningham

Student:

Partner:

BC Research Inc.

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Environmental Science and Technology; Clean Technology; Sustainability & the Environment

University:

Queen's University

Program: