Sustainable Catalysts and Polymers for a Circular Economy

The circular economy seeks to close the loop between product waste and manufacturing through recovery and regeneration of resources. A move to a circular economy has many potential benefits. It will increase the security of supply of materials and reduce production costs. It also encourages a focus on bio-based products and a reduced reliance on non-renewables such as fossil fuels. There are, however, many challenges associated with such a transition, such as a lack of cost-effective methods for the recycling of some bio-based products.

This project will involve the recovery of raw materials from bio-based waste. The focus may be on formulating new “degradation-on-demand” strategies for the hydrolysis of bio-based and biodegradable materials, such as polylactic acid, or investigating the recovery of natural catalysts, enzymes, and their subsequent employment in material processing. The aim is to create more sustainable catalysts and processes for a circular economy.