Polymer engineering environmentally friendly

By means of genetic engineering, including cloning and site-directed mutagenesis, it has become possible for modern synthetic chemists to utilize a sufficient amount of isolated enzyme catalysts and to modify the reactivity, stability, or even specificity of enzymes. Therefore, polymerizations catalyzed by isolated enzyme are expected to create a new area of precision polymer syntheses. Furthermore, enzymatic polymerizations have great potential as an environmentally friendly synthetic process of polymeric materials. 

Smith, R. Georlette, P Finberg, I. Reznick, G. Development of environmental friendly multifunctional flame retardants for commodity and engineering plastics. Polymer Degradation and Stability, 1996, 54(2-3), 167-173. 

Joseph M. DeSimone (BCST Liaison) is William R. Kenan, Jr., Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina. He is also director of the National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center for Environmentally Responsible Solvents and Processes. He received his B.S. in chemistry form Ursinus College and his Ph.D. in chemistry from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. His areas of interest include polymer synthesis in supercritical fluids, surfactant design for applications in interfacial chemistry, and polymer synthesis and processing—from fundamental aspects of chemical systems to the most efficient and environmentally friendly ways to manufacture polymers and polymer products. 

Abstract This chapter defines Environmentally Friendly Polymer Engineering as the basic organizational system of the first volume of these two books. The classification of plastics, and a list of their main characteristics, follows. This chapter closes with some economic data. 

Soy protein-based plastics are another group of biodegradable, environmentally friendly, polymer materials from an abundantly renewable resource [29-31]. There are several types of soybean products that can potentially be utihzed for engineering structural applications [29],... 

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