The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a 3-year, $420,000 Project Grant under its Mathematical and Physical Sciences (CFDA 47.049) program to the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) to develop degradable polyacrylate materials from natural and scalable building blocks. The project aims to enhance the recyclability and degradability of acrylic materials used in a wide range of consumer products, while also providing fundamental scientific insights and engaging K-12 and higher education students in polymer science and communication. Key objectives include optimizing copolymerization techniques, creating simulation tools for inverse polymer design, and characterizing the relationships between molecular structure, degradability, and performance properties. The project leverages UCSB's expertise in materials science, polymer chemistry, and computational modeling to drive progress in sustainable materials and cultivate the next generation of scientists and engineers.
Generated 8/13/24, 1:54 AM