With her PhD on Molecular design and characterization of adaptive polymers derived from biomass, Marlies Thys developed reversible adhesives!
The majority of our polymer materials are derived from fossil-based resources, and due to the lack of efficient recycling strategies, many of them end up in our environment. To contribute to a more sustainable material design, concepts from both the biobased and circular economy can be employed, both on the upstream side (using biobased feedstock) and the downstream side (extending the service life of materials or facilitating their recycling) of the value chain. In this PhD study, this is achieved by combining lignin, a bio-aromatic polymer, with thermoreversible chemistry.
