Lei Zheng
PhD student
University of Massachusetts at Amherst and Pyran LLC
Lei Zheng is currently a graduate student working in Professor John Klier's group from University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Zheng has two years of experience in synthesizing emulsion polymers and now works on polyester and polycarbonate-based coatings.
Biomass-Derived Coatings Using Renewable, Low-Cost 1,5-Pentanediol-Based Polyesters, Polycarbonates and Acrylates
Polyester polyols, polycarbonate polyols and diacrylates were prepared using a novel, low-cost, bio-based 1,5 pentanediol monomer (1,5-PDO) provided by Pyran LLC and formulated into solventborne coatings and UV-cure coatings. The coating properties, such as pencil hardness, low-temperature flexibility and mechanical strength were characterized and compared with incumbent petroleum-derived 1,5-PDO or 1,6-hexanediol (1,6-HDO)-based coatings. Coatings synthesized from renewable 1,5-PDO exhibited similar performance to the coatings made from petroleum-derived diols, indicating potential to substitute low-cost renewable 1,5-PDO for chemically derived 1,5-PDO and 1,6-HDO, while maintaining excellent coating properties. We are currently collaborating with Pyran LLC to develop fully formulated coatings, such as thermoset powder coatings, solventborne coatings, UV-cure coatings, and waterborne polyurethane coatings, using the renewable 1,5-PDO-based materials and characterizing cured coatings with a full set of tests.