Ulrica Edlund

Polymers are large molecules, macromolecules, composed of many small molecular units that are chemically bound to one another. They are the building blocks in natural and artificial materials that have many application areas within all areas of society. Polymers are found in everything from plastics, composites and rubber to textiles, electrical, optical and biomedical materials.

Ulrica Edlund’s research focuses on the development of functional polymer materials. Examples of these are bio-plastics, gels, barrier films, packaging, as well as micro and nanostructures. Special focus lies in the development of functional materials from renewable raw materials. The research includes synthesis, surface modification, characterisation, product design, and recycling of polymers. With various synthesis techniques, the molecular structure and the resulting
properties can be controlled. It is even possible to create stimuli-responsive materials.

An important step in the pursuit of a more sustainable society is to replace oil-based products with polymer materials that originate from biodegradable biopolymers from forest, land and sea. It is important that these have been produced through environmentally friendly processes.