Sustainable Materials in the Polymer Industry:

Science and Technology

Anil K. Bhowmick
Professor of Eminence and INAE Chair Professor
Rubber Technology Center
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur -721302, India.

ABSTRACT

Polymer is one of the most versatile materials having myriad of applications – from niche rubber
band and eraser to highly engineered spacecraft seal. Of late, the glittering concept of
‘sustainability’ has been able to infiltrate within the domain of polymer science and technology to
a significant extent - in both academia and industry. This field continues to grow rapidly. Along
with polymer, other ingredients that are used to make polymer compounds and products would
also be sustainable in future. Sustainable materials may be defined as materials that can be
produced without depletion of non-renewable resources and without disturbing the equilibrium
between the environment and key natural resource systems. The range of these materials is
huge -- from natural rubber , bio-based polymers to recyclable materials etc . How the future
materials could be developed using scientific principles would be discussed in this lecture. It is
also interesting to demonstrate how science is helping to restore environment and society.

The objectives of our research program since the last two decades have been to extract or
synthesize polymer and polymer ingredients from natural resources, utilize natural materials in
polymer compounds, understand the fundamental science behind new forms of sustainable
materials and structure-property relationship, and reduce adverse environmental effects of
traditional materials. In this respect, polymers alternative to hevea brasiliensis have been
explored using bio-resources. New polymers having a gradient of polarity have been developed.
New materials having dual functionality have been envisaged. The influence of nano-
dimensional natural clays, graphene, and silica on the properties of various polymers has been
investigated and a few fillers are found to be promising. In order to reduce the environmental
hazard of a few polymer chemicals, these are specially activated for use in smaller quantity.
New technologies have been developed to utilize waste polymers as sustainable materials.
Rubbers have been used in conjunction with plastics for development of recyclable
thermoplastic elastomers. In all these areas, structure-property correlation of these sustainable
materials would be highlighted.

Biography of Prof. Anil K. Bhowmick

Prof. Anil K. Bhowmick is a Professor of Eminence and former Head of Rubber Technology Centre
and Dean (Sponsored Research & Industrial Consultancy), IIT Kharagpur. He was previously
associated with the University of Akron, Ohio, USA, London School of Polymer Technology, London
and Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan. His main research interests are: Nanocomposites,
Thermoplastic Elastomers and Polymer blends, Sustainable materials, Polymer modification,
Rubber Technology, Failure and Degradation of Polymers, Adhesion and Adhesives. He has more
than five hundred fifty publications in these fields, 35 book chapters and seven books. He holds
eighteen patents including the international ones. He was also co-editor of the special issue of
Polymer and Composite Characterization of the Journal of Macromolecular Science (USA). He was
the 2002 winner of the "Chemistry of Thermoplastic Elastomers" award and 1997 winner of the
"George Stafford Whitby" award of the American Chemical Society for distinguished teaching &
innovative research, and 2001 K.M. Philip award of the All India Rubber Industries Association for
outstanding contribution to the growth and development of rubber industries in India. He was also
awarded NOCIL award 1991, JSPS award 1990, Commonwealth award 1990, MRF award 1989
and Stanton-Redcroft award 1989. He is on the Editorial Board of Journal of Adhesion Science &
Technology (USA), Journal of Applied Polymer Science (USA), Journal of Materials Science (USA),
Polymers and Polymer Composites (UK), Rubber Chemistry and Technology (USA) , Polymer for
Advanced Technologies ( Germany ), Nano-Micro Letters(UK) and Natural Rubber Research
(India). He is a Fellow of the Indian National Academy of Engineering , Indian National Science
Academy and West Bengal Science Academy. He was the founder Director of IIT Patna.