The transition from a linear, petroleum-based materials economy toward a circular bioeconomy will require renewable polymers that can meet demanding requirements for performance, processability, scalability, and cost.
This seminar will highlight recent research from the New Materials Institute aimed at addressing these challenges through the molecular design, synthesis, processing, and commercialization of biobased polymers and composites.
Jason Locklin,
University of Georgia
The discussion will begin with the current landscape of the bioplastics market and the technical and economic factors influencing its continued growth. Specific research examples will include the development of medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoates (mcl-PHAs) and strategies to overcome limitations in their processing and crystallization through the design of nucleating agents and processing aids. We will also examine the valorization of biomass-derived monomers as building blocks for aliphatic–aromatic thermoplastics and elastomers, with an emphasis on how polymer composition and molecular structure control thermal, mechanical, rheological, and transport properties. Additional examples will demonstrate the use of natural and renewable materials in composites and other value-added applications. Together, these projects illustrate how fundamental polymer chemistry and engineering can be coupled with processing and scale-up considerations to develop commercially relevant materials for the circular bioeconomy.
Dr. Jason Locklin obtained his BS from Millsaps College and PhD from the University of Houston. Jason then went on as a Director of Central Intelligence Postdoctoral Scholar at Stanford University where he worked with Dr. Zhenan Bao in the area of flexible electronics. Locklin joined the University of Georgia in the Department of Chemistry and the College of Engineering in 2007 and was promoted to Professor in 2018. He founded the New Materials Institute in 2017 that focuses on green engineering principles and circular materials management.
Locklin has been awarded the Central Intelligence Agency Young Investigator Award, NSF CAREER Award, the Northeast Georgia ACS Chemist of the Year for Research, the Atlanta Magazine Groundbreaker Award, and the College of Engineering Researcher of the Year. He is the Site Director for the National Science Foundation Industry University Collaborative Research Center – The Center for Bioplastics and Biocomposites at UGA, which has over 35 industry partners.
Locklin has published more than 150 papers in polymer science and engineering and has over 50 US patents and applications. He is a member of the National Academy of Inventors. His group is focused on biopolymer production and applications.