TAGS: Biobased Solutions
A research group led by Prof. Sabine Laschat at the University of Stuttgart investigate the use chitin and its derivatives to develop materials in a water-based process. The materials developed will find suitable applications in construction and will sustainably reduce energy consumption. The Carl Zeiss Foundation is funding the project as part of its “Perspektiven” funding line with around two million euros.
the technical use of the polymer chitin is still in its infancy, since the polymer can only be modified (processed) in a solution with difficulty. Against this background, the project “Chitin Fluid - Chitin as a Resource for Multifunctional Materials via Water-Based Complex Fluids” pursues the goal of developing a simple water-based processing of chitin and its derivatives into intelligent materials.
Chitin-containing hybrid materials are conceivable as photonic materials (for example as a replacement for effect pigments) or in fiber composite materials as a replacement for carbon fibers.
Step-by-step Approach
A central challenge for the technical use of chitin is its transformation into a form that is arranged on the nanoscale but can be processed in a fluid manner. This is to be investigated in several steps: First, the researchers want to “reprogram” the raw material chitin with the help of microorganisms so that modified sugar monomers can be incorporated into the growing polymer chain and tailor-made chitin copolymers with changeable structural and mechanical properties can be produced.
These chitin derivatives should be made processable using complex fluids (colloidal chitin solutions, lyotropic liquid-crystalline solutions or hydrogels). The resulting complex fluids should be processed into solid foams, composite materials or coatings through controlled dehydration, mineralization or blowing agents. which have adjustable bending stiffnesses are suitable for additive manufacturing.
Finally, the first prototypes of innovative building materials and components are to be developed and optimization rules defined, for example for acoustic absorption, thermal insulation and compost ability.
Source: University of Stuttgart