The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras is collaborating with JK Fenner (India) Limited to research and develop a biodegradable alternative to elastomers or rubber products used in the production of various consumables. JK Fenner supports this research project as part of its CSR initiatives.
This research is vital because while natural rubber is biodegradable, the final product slowly biodegrades due to the presence of non-degradable chemical units that act as molecular bridges. Most synthetic rubbers are also not biodegradable due to their structural feature, which consists of single carbon-carbon bonds in the backbone. Therefore, the finished rubber product remains for a long time after its service life without much structural degradation.
An IIT Madras research team led by Prof. R Dhamodharan, Department of Chemistry, IIT Madras aims to tackle this problem by researching and developing effective biodegradable molecular bridges as an alternative, through their research.
Speaking about this CSR partnership with IIT Madras, Nagaraju Srirama President and Director, JK Fenner (India) Limited said: “JK Fenner India Limited is delighted to partner with IIT Madras, the leading research institute in the country for the development of the next generation rubber that will be biodegradable and environmentally friendly.This research will set a new direction in the rubber industry (belts/hoses) that will be environmentally friendly and support our initiative towards a sustainable future.”
Continuing the scope of their research, lead researcher Prof. Dr R Dhamodharan, Department of Chemistry, IIT Madras said: “The polymer structure to address these issues must be suitable for the ‘standard curing procedure’ established in the rubber industry. The polymer and the ‘crosslinker’ or ‘bridge molecule’ used in the curing process must also be designed with structural features that make it suitable for biodegradation.”
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