Wood sugar polymer holds potential as bio-derived coating, finds UK study

15 Jan 2021 --- Researchers from the University of Bath, UK, have developed a polymer using xylose. Xylose is the second most abundant sugar in nature and can be isolated from wood. 

“While these are still early days in our material development, we are primarily targeting coating applications for these materials,” lead study author Dr. Antoine Buchard tells PackagingInsights.

The reliance on plastics and polymers on dwindling fossil fuels is a major problem, he notes, but bio-derived polymers can be part of the solution to make plastics sustainable.

“We’re very excited that we’ve been able to produce this [environmentally] sustainable material from a plentiful natural resource – wood,” says Buchard, who is a Royal Society University research fellow and a reader at the university’s Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies.

“This polymer is particularly versatile because its physical and chemical properties can be tweaked easily to make a crystalline material or more of a flexible rubber, as well as to introduce very specific chemical functionalities,” he explains.

Until now, this was very difficult to achieve with bio-derived polymers. “This means that with this polymer, we can target a variety of applications, from packaging to healthcare or energy materials, in a more sustainable way.”

Other applications for the polyether family-stemming polymer are possible as:

• A building block for polyurethane, used in mattresses and shoe soles.
• A bio-derived alternative to polyethylene glycol, a chemical widely used in bio-medicine.
• An alternative to polyethylene oxide, sometimes used as electrolytes in batteries.

Stronger together
Like all sugars, xylose occurs in two forms that mirror each other – named D and L.

Buchard’s polymer uses the naturally occurring D-enantiomer of xylose, however, the researchers have shown that combining it with the L-form makes the polymer even stronger.

Synthesis of xylose‐derived oxetane D‐1The team says functionality could be added to this versatile polymer by binding other chemical groups such as fluorescent probes or dyes to the sugar molecule for biological or chemical sensing applications.

Commercialization barriers
The nature-inspired material reduces the reliance on crude oil products, but its properties can also be easily controlled to make the material flexible or crystalline.

“Because of the flexibility provided by our material at the molecular level, we can in theory address multiple industry needs, in terms of degradability, solubility and barrier properties,” highlights Buchard.

Furthermore, the team can easily produce hundreds of grams of the material and anticipates that production would be rapidly scalable.

However, Buchard points out that pricing may present a potential commercialization barrier. 

“Also, they way any new material would perform within the existing supply chain, including recycling facilities, could be a barrier [may be a barrier to commercialization], if not approached with an open mind.”

The road ahead
Despite these promising research findings, there is still much to be done. “Our next steps are to engage with industrial partners and identify application needs,” explains Buchard.

He also envisions working together with industry on prototyping and advanced properties evaluation, including carrying out a complete life cycle analysis.

“Scientists and engineers working on new materials need to work together with industry, across the whole supply chain, and be bold enough to disturb the status quo,” he concludes. 

By Anni Schleicher