PU degradation research wins HU-UMA joint research seed fund

The selected project, led by assistant professor Milena Lama, will investigate the degradation mechanisms of polyurethane using a combination of high-throughput experimentation and advanced X-ray scattering techniques.

Polyurethanes’ long-term durability and end-of-life behavior remain areas of active research. Understanding how these materials degrade under different environmental and mechanical conditions is increasingly important, both for improving product lifetimes and for addressing recycling and circularity challenges.

Lama’s research aims to generate a more detailed picture of how polyurethane structures evolve during degradation. By applying high-throughput experimentation, the team will be able to screen a large number of formulations and conditions in parallel, accelerating the identification of key factors that influence breakdown processes such as hydrolysis, oxidation and mechanical fatigue.

The use of X-ray scattering techniques will provide insight at the molecular and nanoscale level, enabling researchers to track structural changes in the polymer network over time. This approach is expected to help link macroscopic performance loss—such as embrittlement, discoloration or loss of mechanical integrity—to underlying chemical and morphological changes.

The project is intended not only to improve fundamental understanding, but also to inform the design of more durable polyurethane systems and support the development of materials that are easier to recycle or repurpose at end of life.

The HU-UMA Joint Research Seed Fund supports early-stage collaborative research between Hokkaido University and UMass Amherst, with the aim of fostering international partnerships and enabling new scientific directions. Funding is typically used to establish proof-of-concept studies that can lead to larger research programs.

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Hokkaido University