UD engineers are the lead inventors on a new patent for making piezoelectric devices, such as sensors and actuators, using Nodax, a biodegradable, bio-based polymer.
Every year, more than 400 million tons of plastic are manufactured, including single-use items such as shopping bags and drinking cups. Because these materials can reach the environment without degrading for a long time, researchers and companies are looking for materials that offer similar physical properties as conventional plastics but will quickly biodegrade and won't cause harm to plants and animals.
A polymer invented, designed, and chemically synthesized by
Now, the UD-based research team has been awarded a
Making naturally occurring polymers at industrial scale
While working as an industrial scientist at
'I was doing a lot of spectroscopic characterization, and realized that we should be able to find bacteria that could modify PHA's molecular structure in a particular way,' explained Noda, referring to the chain length of the polymer's alkyl side group. 'These branches can be methyl or ethyl, which cannot easily be melted or processed. But, when you extend this branch to three carbons, i.e., propyl, or even longer, suddenly the material is able to be more easily processed and becomes a ductile, tough, and useful polymer.'
This biodegradable polymer, with the trade name Nodax, is manufactured today at industrial scale by
In contrast to how standard plastics are fabricated, Nodax is made in large tanks by bacteria using plant-based feedstocks. The formulated Nodax polymers are then purchased by other companies to make a variety of end use products, with biodegradation rates similar to that of cellulose or food waste.
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Discovering new properties through fundamental research
But the work didn't stop once Nodax biopolymers were being produced at scale. After giving an invited talk at UD in 2012, Noda met with long-time colleague Rabolt and decided to transfer some of the material he'd accumulated over the years to support new avenues of fundamental research. Noda, who also served as the
With efforts led by Ph.D. alumni
'It was a great collaboration-we had chemists, rheologists, physicists, the right mix of skillsets to be able to understand and do different things with this unique material,' said Rabolt.
This finding led
'It's exciting to see the results of this collaboration between the
Unlocking the potential of a new piezoelectric polymer
The finding that Nodax has high piezoelectric properties means that it could potentially be used in sensors or actuators. Nodax could also serve as a possible replacement for polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), a common piezoelectric material that is made from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a class of 'forever chemicals' that have been linked to negative health outcomes.
While this material is still in the early developmental stages, the possibilities for further work, in terms of both fundamental research and potential applications, excites Noda. 'We want to discover additional properties that haven't yet been explored, understand how to make the material better and adapt the processing for industrial scales, and overall keep doing fundamental research that will help other companies with their future applications,' he said.
'The fun part is just being able to try different things over time-maybe develop the material's ferroelectric or pyroelectric capacity, things like that,' added Rabolt. 'We're really just at the tip of the iceberg with this new material.'
Danimer has already worked with partners to produce textile fibers using Nodax to replace conventional materials such as PET and polypropylene. The opportunity to now expand into piezoelectric fiber applications is an exciting development.
'The future of PHAs as a more perfect polymer in many applications is now, and Danimer is again pioneering new biotechnology solutions with great partners like UD,' said Edwards.
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