Megan Gutman

Profile

Project title: Greener materials: development, characterisation and environmental impact

Supervisor: Prof. Marina Resmini

Project description: The impact, behaviour and fate of plastic polymers in the environment is the subject of global concern and debate, especially when comparing traditional oil-based materials vs. novel biodegradable plastics. The degradation pathway, the structure of the breakdown products and their environmental impact is a priority, together with data on the degradation rate, the fate of any additives, the availability of this carbon to microbial communities or the repercussions on biogeochemical cycles.

As a part of the GreenX3 project, artificial weathering protocols for commodity plastics will be developed and markers of degradation will be identified and observed via physico-chemical tools. Using these combined approaches, a robust diagnostic tool will be developed to evaluate novel plastic alternatives before they potentially persist in and cause damage to our ecosystems for decades to come.

Funding: This project, GreenX3, is funded by the European Union Horizon Europe MSCA Doctoral Network programme under EC Grant Agreement No.101120061 and by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee [grant number EP/Y032039/1]

Research

Research Interests:

Megan’s main research interests exist at the intersection of chemistry and material’s science engineering, with particular focus on key emerging technologies in sustainability applications. She has previously worked in corporate research and development, synthesizing novel hybrid materials for medical device applications, as well as high-precision Si-anode components for new Li-ion battery technologies. Currently, Megan is applying her knowledge of polymer science to develop a diagnostic tool for assessing greener alternatives to commodity plastics.