Mission:
The Plant Polymer Research Unit conducts research to identify and develop new uses and expanded markets for agricultural commodities. Research emphasis is on chemical or biological modification of polysaccharides and proteins, bio-based materials, and structure-property relationships of the modified materials. Natural polymers are processed by various thermomechanical methods, including extrusion, jet cooking, and microwave heating. Additives and/or chemical reagents are incorporated to modify the properties of natural polymers to provide suitable materials for end-use applications. Chemical, physical, biological, and spectroscopic techniques are used to characterize the structure/property relationships of the modified polymers, and provide a fundamental understanding of how processing variables affect properties. Molecular modeling and simulation are used to construct and analyze model systems, with the goal of providing a knowledge-based approach to designing novel materials. Specific applications include water-resistant starch-based foams, starch and protein based biodegradable films, biodegradable composites for plastics applications, adhesives, and absorbent materials.