Novel Bio-Based Polymers by Chemical Conversion of Carbohydrates

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K20402
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H05397 (2018-2019)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Pioneering)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2020); Single-year Grants (2018-2019)
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 64:Environmental conservation measure and related fields
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Satoh Kotaro 東京工業大学, 物質理工学院, 教授 (70377810)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 高分子合成 / 高分子環境材料 / 植物由来バイオマス / 糖ケミカルコンバージョン / 二酸化炭素固定化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Focusing on chemical compounds derived from saccharides or related carbohydrates, which is one of the most abundant and cheapest biomass, we designed their chemical conversion reactions into vinyl monomers for novel high-performance bio-based polymers. Glycerol was converted to the corresponding vinyl carbonate and vinyl ether derivatives through a dehydration reaction, of which cationic or radical polymerization was carried out. In addition, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol produced by the hydrogenation reaction of furfural was employed to be converted into a monomer having a vinyl ether skeleton by a dehydration reaction.

Free Research Field

高分子化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果で得られる未開拓の「バイオマス由来の材料」は、すでに産業としても成熟期にある高分子材料開発において、カーボンニュートラル（リデュース）の観点から、環境適応型の材料として社会的ニーズを十分に満たすものとして注目される。とくに、石油依存度の高い日本において、非石油資源由来の材料開発は、資源の豊富な諸国に対し国際競争力を得るため、ますますその重要度は高いと考えられる。