Circularity of Plastics

Dr. Zibiao Li obtained his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from National University of Singapore (NUS). Currently, he is working as a senior research scientist at the Institute of Materials Research and Engineering (IMRE), A*STAR, Singapore. He is currently the Head of Advanced Sustainable Materials Department in IMRE. His research interests are focused on biodegradable functional polymeric materials design, structural properties investigations and their hybrid fabrications for high performance applications in consumer care and healthcare. He has published over 120 journal papers, 2 books, 5 book chapters, 15 technological disclosures / Patents, mainly in the area of biodegradable and sustainable materials. Dr Jason Y. C. Lim obtained his PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Oxford, U.K. Thereafter, he obtained a postdoctoral position at the same institute under the supervision of Professor Charlotte K. Williams, working on metal-free organocatalysis for the synthesis of polylactic acid, a leading biopolymer with vast commercial applications in today’s world. His current research interests at IMRE, Singapore, include development of novel catalysts to replace toxic heavy-metal catalysts used for polymer synthesis, chemical valorisation and upcycling of waste plastics, development of new sustainable polymers for biomedical applications, as well as ion sensors for agritech nutrient monitoring to reduce over-application of fertilisers. At the time of writing, he has authored/ co-authored 25 peer-reviewed papers in top chemistry and materials science journals. Dr Chen-Gang Wang obtained his Ph.D. in organic and polymeric materials under the supervision of Professor Toshikazu Takata from Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan. After working in chemical industry for two years, he moved to Nanyang Technological University as a research fellow in Professor Atsushi Goto’s group and promoted to senior research fellow at 2019. His current position is a research scientist in Advanced Sustainable Materials Department in IMRE/A*STAR, Singapore. His research expertise focuses primarily on polymer science and materials. His current research interests include development of biomass-based polymers and the polymerization methods, design and synthesis of degradable/decomposable polymers, and creation of structurally complex polymer materials for advanced applications. He has (co)authored 23 peer-reviewed papers in top chemistry and materials science journals.

1 Sustainable material management for a circular plastics economy

SECTION 1 Valorization of waste plastics into new materials and fuels 2 Sustainable chemical recycling of plastic waste into new polymers 3 Converting plastic waste to fuel and fine chemicals 4 Upcycling of waste plastics to carbon nanomaterials

SECTION 2 Functional polymers from sustainable and renewable resources 5 Functional polymers from CO2 as feedstock 6 Functional polymers from biomass-based monomers 7 New functional materials from lignocellulosic biomass 8 Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as a building block for a circular economy 9 Poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs) based circular materials for a sustainable future 10 Sustainable materials applications: Current challenges and future perspectives