The past century has been coined the “Age of Plastics”, as an acknowledgment to the ubiquitous role of synthetic polymers in our daily lives. Like many technologies, plastic-based materials provide us with enormous benefits but have also become an environmental burden and an inescapable source of pollution. How can we reduce the growing problem of plastic waste without sacrificing their essential functions?

In this seminar, I will share our research efforts to develop biorenewable and biodegradable alternatives based on nanofibrillated forms of cellulose, the world’s number one biomass. We’ll start with some chemistry and history about cellulose, what it can and cannot do, then discuss why breaking down cellulose into nanofiber forms is so useful. Recent and current projects include sustainable and intelligent food packaging made with cellulose and pectin (another common polysaccharide), converting water-loving cellulose nanofibers into a superhydrophobic material, and mixing nano-cellulose with lunar dust (regolith) to produce composite aerogels for thermal insulation of habitats-- on the Moon.

Alexander Wei is a Professor of Chemistry and Materials Engineering at Purdue University (West Lafayette campus). He received his PhD in Chemistry from Harvard University in 1995 and spent two years abroad as a Fulbright Scholar & Chateaubriand Fellow at the Université Strasbourg in France before joining Purdue in 1997. Prof. Wei has a multidisciplinary research team that designs sustainable materials using chemically modified nano-cellulose, low-cost sensors for biomanufacturing and biodegradation, and luminescent compounds and materials that respond to chemical and biological changes. Besides research, Prof. Wei leads the Safety and Sustainability Team in the Chemistry Department and is an advisor for the Beta Nu Chapter of Alpha Chi Sigma (a co-ed fraternity for chemists). More information is available on his website at https://www.chem.purdue.edu/awei/.