EPSCoR Research Fellows: NSF: Development of Multifunctional Chain Extenders from Chemical Upcycling of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) to Enhance Mechanical Recycling

This Research Infrastructure Improvement (RII) EPSCoR Research Fellows project provides a fellowship to an Assistant Professor, and training for an undergraduate student, at Troy University. This work is conducted in collaboration with Dr. Alireza Abbaspourrad at Cornell University. Through the fellowship, the PI will develop new additives from plastic waste to solve the problem of quality depreciation during the mechanical recycling of plastics. Specifically, the project addresses how to chemically restore the strength and quality of recycled plastic so it can be reused effectively. This project supports the development of sustainable materials engineering and chemical upcycling. It integrates organic and polymer chemistry to chemically transform plastic waste and materials science to process and test the rebuilt material. The project mitigates the crisis of plastic pollution by keeping waste out of landfills and oceans, and also reduces the industrial demand for new, fossil-fuel-based plastics. This Fellowship project will establish a sustainable circular economy framework by upcycling post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into oligomeric chain extenders (OCEs) for the mechanical recycling of PET. The project will advance macromolecular science by developing functionalized oligomers that can chemically restore the molecular weight and mechanical properties of recycled polyesters, thereby creating a synergy between chemical and mechanical recycling. The four-phase methodology will encompass controlled PET depolymerization, chemical functionalization into anhydride and epoxide OCEs, reactive extrusion processing, and comprehensive thermal, mechanical, and rheological characterization of the recycled PET. Research infrastructure at Troy University will be expanded through faculty professional advancement via dedicated course releases, the creation of a student-led materials science research group, and access to analytical facilities at Cornell University. These research activities will seamlessly integrate with institutional goals by expanding regional research capacity, creating specialized student training opportunities, and establishing a permanent, workforce-developing collaborative pipeline between the participating institutions. This project is supported by the EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program: EPSCoR Research Fellows (ERF). The ERF program supports early- and mid-career investigators in eligible jurisdictions to develop collaborations at the nation’s private, government or academic research institutions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.