MECANO

Polyrotaxanes are an emerging class of materials resulting from the introduction of mechanical bonds via the integration of macrocycles, around polymer chains. The presence of mechanical bonds that cannot be dissociated from polymer chains, but can slide along them, confers special properties to the materials, such as the ability to evolve between a crystalline and an amorphous phase due to the motion of the intertwined macrocycles. The MECANO project aims to take advantage of the opportunities offered by mechanical bonding to improve control over the properties of PVC chains. Plasticizers have always been needed to make this polymer flexible, but problems linked to the migration of these molecules into the material are leading to industrial problems of premature aging, as well as environmental and health issues. The aim of the MECANO project is therefore to use mechanical bonding to produce plasticizers mechanically bonded to polymer chains, in order to reduce their migration and the associated risks. The proposed project will be carried out in collaboration with SOPREMA, a world leader in waterproofing and insulation materials.