Making plastic from metal
Background: Plastics are usually made from organic polymers, and are incredibly widespread and useful. However, metals bring a whole host of useful properties - color, conductivity, catalytic activity, anti-bacterial properties, and more. Our lab is currently working with a copper-based polymer that behaves in many ways like a traditional plastic. Our plan is to change the side-groups on this polymer, to (a) manipulate the properties of the polymer and (b) potentially introduce cross-linking groups to hopefully create a "rubber-like" material.
Green Chemistry: It's possible - although, at this point unverified - that metal-based plastics would actually be easily biodegraded or recycled, potentially combatting the problem of microplastics being released into the environment - so these might be better for the environment than traditional plastics!
Goal: The goal of this research project is to synthesize copper-based polymers with new side-chains, and to characterize the properties of the resulting materials.
What will you do? This project will involve organic and inorganic synthesis, as well as characterization of the products using Single-Crystal and Powder X-Ray Diffraction (SC-XRD and PXRD), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), dynamic scanning calorimetry (DSC), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, polarized light microscopy (PLM), and potentially Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
Working in the lab: Typical time commitment is 3-4 hours per week (in return for 1 credit), preferably in an uninterrupted block (a full afternoon or morning). You'll be working in a small team (2-3) people on this project. Our lab regularly meets for journal club and for social lunches.
Want to learn more before you apply? Email me at chealy@g.hmc.edu or drop into my office (Jacobs 1207). You don't need to have any specific experience to apply.
Essay Prompt: If you want to apply, please write a short introduction about yourself, and include (a) why you're interested in the project and (b) what you're hoping to learn.