Making biodegradable plastic with unusual aluminum ion pair complexes
Presentation Type
Poster
Major
Chemistry
Abstract
A series of aluminum ion pair complexes were prepared through reaction of Schiff base ketoimines with aluminum triphenoxide. The aluminum ion pair complexes were characterized with techniques at Pepperdine and collaborating institutions. These aluminum complexes were unusual because they included a bis-ligated aluminum cation in distorted octahedral coordination geometry and a tetraphenoxide aluminate anion with tetrahedral coordination. The ion pair complexes were effective in preparing a biodegradable plastic, poly-lactic acid, through the polymerization of L-lactide and racemic- lactide at 100 °C for 18 hours. The isolated polymeric materials had high molecular weights with moderate poly-dispersity index values.
Faculty Mentor
Joseph Fritsch
Funding Source or Research Program
Summer Undergraduate Research Program, Academic Year Undergraduate Research Initiative, Undergraduate Research Fellowship
Location
Waves Cafeteria, Tyler Campus Center
Start Date
21-3-2014 2:00 PM
End Date
21-3-2014 3:00 PM
Making biodegradable plastic with unusual aluminum ion pair complexes
Waves Cafeteria, Tyler Campus Center
A series of aluminum ion pair complexes were prepared through reaction of Schiff base ketoimines with aluminum triphenoxide. The aluminum ion pair complexes were characterized with techniques at Pepperdine and collaborating institutions. These aluminum complexes were unusual because they included a bis-ligated aluminum cation in distorted octahedral coordination geometry and a tetraphenoxide aluminate anion with tetrahedral coordination. The ion pair complexes were effective in preparing a biodegradable plastic, poly-lactic acid, through the polymerization of L-lactide and racemic- lactide at 100 °C for 18 hours. The isolated polymeric materials had high molecular weights with moderate poly-dispersity index values.