Research Projects

With rapid industrialization and technological advancement, humanity is now facing some of its greatest challenges. Among these, climate change and plastic pollution stand out as two of the most pressing threats to our environment and well-being. Recognizing the severe consequences of unchecked growth, developed nations have begun to shift their focus toward sustainability and the principles of a circular economy, aiming to balance progress with the responsible use of resources and the protection of our planet for future generations. With these challenges in mind, this project proposal aims to address both issues by developing polyesters and aliphatic polycarbonates through the catalytic coupling of epoxides, anhydrides, and CO₂. Although numerous research efforts are directed toward utilizing CO₂ as a C₁ feedstock to create value-added products such as methanol, formaldehyde, or methane, these processes are often energy-intensive. To make such approaches viable, a transition to sustainable energy sources such as wind and solar power is essential. In contrast, our approach to CO₂ utilization is more practical, operating under mild conditions at ambient temperature. This method represents an atom-economical and greener strategy to help tackle this global issue. Using CO₂ as a C₁ feedstock can enable cost-effective production processes, which in turn may help reduce the overall cost of CO₂ removal from the atmosphere. Moreover, the resulting polymers—polyesters and polycarbonates—are biodegradable, thereby contributing to the mitigation of plastic pollution as well. The main objective of this project is to develop efficient and selective catalytic systems for coupling epoxides, anhydrides, and CO₂ to produce valuable polyesters and polycarbonates. We will also explore novel monomers such as phosphate-based epoxides and functionalized eugenol- and sugar-derived epoxides, which offer opportunities for post-polymerization modifications for diverse applications. For example, phosphate-based polymers will be investigated for the synthesis of metallopolymers through coordination via P–OH functional groups. Additionally, we will employ strategies to develop block copolymers which block segments having unique properties In the second phase of the project, we will screen and evaluate the properties and potential applications of these polyesters and polycarbonates. Initially, we will examine their mechanical properties through rheological studies. Depending on the success of synthesizing metallopolymers by coordinating phosphate binding sites, we will further explore their applications based on the type of metal used and also we will employ them as self healing materials. The interaction between the adjacent polymer chain through metal coordination can be the driving forces for this self healing, besides other interactions such as dynamic hydrogen bonding. Finally, the project will focus on mitigation strategies by capturing CO₂ from point sources using amine-functionalized metal-organic frameworks and subsequently utilizing the captured CO₂ to produce aliphatic polycarbonates. This integrated approach will comprehensively address the challenge of carbon capture and utilization.