ACS CCC Transformative Natural Polymers Webinar Series
An Integrated Biopolymer Framework for Sustainable Materials: From Seaweed Derived Adhesives to Algal Biomatter Plastics
Eleftheria Roumeli, PhD
Assistant Professor of Materials Science & Engineering, University of Washington
DATE & TIME: Thursday June 5th, 2:00 PM ET
Location: Online via Zoom, click here or scan the QR code to register
Abstract:
The need to replace fossil‑derived polymers drives the development of fully biobased, truly biodegradable alternatives. We show that minimally processed biomatter—from microalgae, cyanobacteria, or macroalgae—can be heat‑and‑pressure processed into (1) formaldehyde‑free wood adhesives whose flexural strength, moisture resistance, and flame retardancy rise with binder content, and (2) rigid, compostable plastics matching polystyrene and PLA in mechanical performance. To uncover self‑bonding mechanisms, we assemble bottom‑up model composites by blending purified carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids in native ratios, then apply identical compression‑molding to isolate each macromolecule’s contribution to network formation. Our integrated experimental–computational framework delivers design principles for tunable biomatter‑derived adhesives and plastics—no chemical modification required.
Biography: Eleftheria Roumeli is an Assistant Professor of Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Washington, where her group pioneers sustainable biopolymer‑based materials—ranging from bioplastics and biocomposites to green construction resins—by linking molecular structure, processing, mechanics, and life‑cycle impact. She completed postdoctoral fellowships at Caltech and ETH Zurich after earning her B.S. and Ph.D. in Physics from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Her work has been honored with the 2024 ACS PMSE Early Investigator Award, 2024 BioResources Early Career Investigator Award, Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellowship (2024), NAS Young Observer (2023), and three consecutive UW MSE Faculty of the Year awards (2022–2024).
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Co-Hosts:
The Philadelphia Local Section of ACS
ACS technical Divisions of POLY, PMSE, AGFD, ENVR and CARB
ACS GCI Natural Polymer Consortium
Chinese American Chemical Society