Polymer Potential

At the University of Montana Department of Chemistry, Dr. Don Kiely and his staff make polymers and mix them with different chemicals to make things ranging from packaging materials to adhesives, fertilizers to industrial chemicals, paper to urine absorbers in diapers.

Author: Gina Titus KECI.com

http://www.keci.com/index3.cfm?sec=news&detail=yes&StoryID=6727&CFID=903204&CFTOKEN=14740507

"Glucose is available, it’s cheap and producers want to find ways to make it into something people need," said Dr. Don Kiely, Professor of Chemistry.

Dr. Kiely says the technology has a profitable future because there is so much corn and wheat in the U.S., the sky’s the limit on possible uses, and the products made from their polymers are biodegradable.

Dr. Kiely says many possible applications for the polymers are still unknown but because they’re biodegradable, the university can market them as good for the environment.

"We use a huge amount of plastics in our society and anything that can be done to minimize that wastage would be really good,” said Bevan Jaiman, Chemistry Masters Student.

The project is still in the research stage, and UM has applications in for patents. Dr. Kiely hopes to market the technology by the end of the year.