Synthesis of functionalized polymeric materials from natural raw materials

The goal of this research project was the study of polymers and oligomers containing polar functional groups able to facilitate secondary interactions with natural or synthetic matrices having structural polar features. The interest for this type of products is determined by the possibility to use them in different polymeric formulations for several application fields (paper, wood and textile fibres). Possible applications for such formulations can include both “everyday” products and more ”technological” fields such as the preservation of materials having historical and artistic interest. In this latter field, the design of new materials based on precursors of natural origin, gives the possibility to have compounds similar to the natural materials that constitute the artefacts and ensures the maintenance of their chemical, physical and mechanical properties. Besides this aspect, the use of raw materials of natural origin matches with the growing interest towards the use of renewable sources, recoverable mainly from waste materials of agricultural production and forestry, fully integrating with the possible future development of third-generation biorefineries. This work is part of a research project that is being performed in the Department of Chemistry, of Univeristà degli Studi di Firenze, based on the synthesis of hydroxylated oligoamides and their derivatives, with the aim of expanding the library of water soluble compounds, with high affinity for polar materials such as wood, paper and natural fibres. Parallel researches have been carried out including the synthesis of new oligoamides and the use of new monomers of natural origin with suitable structural characteristics. At the end, new methods for the synthesis of nanocomposites and their possible applications were deepened.