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Project Overview

Project Code: LS 15

Project name:

Recyclable Multilayered Composites Based on Supramolecular Polymers

TUM Department:

LS - School of Life Sciences

TUM Chair / Institute:

Functional Materials for Food Packaging

Research area:

Polymer Science; Materials Science; Organic Chemistry

Student background:

Chemical EngineeringChemistryFurther disciplinesMechanical EngineeringPhysics

Further disciplines:

Materials Science; Polymer Science; Soft Matter Science

Participation also possible online only:

Planned project location:

Technical University of Munich
Maximus-von-Imhof-Forum 2
85354 Freising, Germany

Project Supervisor - Contact Details


Title:

Prof. Dr.

Given name:

Stephen

Family name:

Schrettl

E-mail:

stephen.schrettl@tum.de

Phone:

+49 8161 71 3785

Additional Project Supervisor - Contact Details


Title:

Dr.

Given name:

Rony

Family name:

Schwarz

E-mail:

rony.schwarz@tum.de

Phone:

+49 8161 71 6165

Additional Project Supervisor - Contact Details


Title:

Given name:

Family name:

E-mail:

Phone:

Project Description


Project description:

Low cost, low weight, mechanical strength, and chemical stability are a few of the favorable properties that have made commodity plastics – especially polyolefins such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) – ubiquitous in everyday life and dominant in food packaging. The same stability, however, makes them environmentally persistent and challenging to recycle. Designing materials that retain performance throughout use while enabling easy, low energy recyclability is therefore highly desirable.

In the Functional Materials for Food Packaging group, we explore supramolecular polymers as recyclable alternatives to today’s packaging materials (e.g., PE, PET, EVOH). The central idea is to connect short, well-defined oligomers with robust yet reversible bonds, yielding high-performance polymer materials that can be selectively disassembled into reusable building blocks. Taking inspiration from bio-laminates (e.g., nacre, insect cuticle), this project pushes toward property-graded multilayers –tough/exterior layers and barrier-rich interior layers – by tuning stoichiometry, oligomer architecture, or filler content across the film.

In this project, the student will synthesize functional oligomers, assemble them into supramolecular polymers, and fabricate multilayer and gradient films by solution casting, spin coating, or hot pressing. Where feasible, simple additive-manufacturing routes will be explored to encode gradients. The materials will be characterized by NMR, GPC/SEC, FTIR, DSC/TGA, and mechanical tests (tensile/peel) to assess strength, interlayer adhesion, and thermal stability. Finally, the student will evaluate on-demand recyclability triggers to demonstrate controlled depolymerization, delamination, and material recovery.

Working hours per week planned:

35-40

Prerequisites


Required study level minimum (at time of TUM PREP project start):

2 years of bachelor studies completed

Subject related:

Organic chemistry (with lab); one of Polymer/Materials/Physical Chemistry; hands-on synthesis & purification (e.g., column), and basic characterization techniques (NMR, FTIR, UV-Vis).

Nice to have: supramolecular/coordination chemistry, DSC/TGA, mechanical testing (tensile/peel), and thin-film processing (casting/hot-pressing).

Other:

Careful lab practice & safety; enthusiasm for bio-inspired materials design & sustainability.

Nice to have: data analysis experience, additive manufacturing, polymer processing.

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