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Jason Bianchini
Graduate Program: Ph.D. in Chemistry
Field of Study: Green Chemistry
Academic Background: B.S. in chemistry, Keene state college,
Keene, NH
Email Address: jason_bianchini@uml.edu
Hiking, camping, reptiles and other critters,
working out, playing guitar, and wood working.
The copolymerization of vinylbenzylthymine (VBT) with styrene sulfonic acid (anionic) or benzyl amines (cationic) has given us a water soluble polymer that when exposed to short-wave UV light will cross link, resulting in a water insoluble polymer. Using DNA photolyase we are able to “unzip” the cross-linked polymers, allowing the material to be reused.
My ultimate goal is to use this technology for injection molding of three
dimensional polymeric materials that are benign, degradable, potentially
reclaimable, and reusable. The problem we are facing right now is that
the copolymers decompose at higher temperatures before they melt. Our
proposal is to incorporate longer hydrocarbons chains into the copolymers
in an effort to increase the non-covalent forces. With increased thermal
stability, due to greater non-covalent interactions, the end result should
be a copolymer that melts before decomposing.