Muhammad Rabnawaz
Associate Professor | Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI, UNITED STATES
Muhammad Rabnawaz pursues research in the field of polymer science, encompassing sustainable and multifunctional materials.
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Biography
Muhammad Rabnawaz, Ph.D., has been an Associate Professor for the Michigan State University (MSU) School of Packaging. He joined the School of Packaging in August 2016. In 2013, he earned a Ph.D. from Queen’s University, Canada, in polymer chemistry, and held postdoctoral positions at Queen’s University between 2013 and 2015, as well as the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana) between 2015 and 2016.
Currently, he is pursuing research in the field of polymer science encompassing sustainable materials and multifunctional materials. One of his mission is to create new generation of highly skilled workforce, reduce plastic waste from packaging industry, and create end-of-life solutions for waste plastics. He teaches multiple courses including Packaging with Plastics, an undergraduate-level course; Advanced Polymer Synthesis, a graduate-level course; and Packaging Sustainability and Recycling, a graduate-level course.
Dr. Rabnawaz has authored over 50 refereed publications in leading scientific journals and is co-author of the renowned book on “Plastics Packaging” 4th edition. In addition, he holds 30 patents filed/issued within the U.S. and internationally, including at least 8 that are licensed or optioned. Dr. Rabnawaz has received multiple awards, including the 2021 MSU Innovator of the Year. Dr. Rabnawaz is also co-founder of a couple of companies related to his MSU technologies. He is also a knowledge partner for “Circular Great Lakes” with a zero-plastic mission.
Areas of Expertise (3)
Sustainable Packaging
Recycling
Plastics
Accomplishments (3)
CANR Faculty Laureate Award, Michigan State University (professional)
2023
Innovator of the Year, Michigan State University (professional)
2021
CAREER Award, National Science Foundation (professional)
2021
Education (1)
Queen's University: Ph.D., Polymer Chemistry 2013
Links (3)
News (5)
Table salt is really good at recycling plastic
Futurity online
2023-09-07
“This is really exciting,” says Muhammad Rabnawaz, an associate professor in Michigan State University’s School of Packaging. “We need simple, low-cost solutions to take on a big problem like plastics recycling.”
Why ditching plastic is harder than it seems
The Washington Post online
2023-06-07
But glass is heavy, so moving it over long distances can drive up transportation costs, said Muhammad Rabnawaz, an associate professor in the School of Packaging at Michigan State University. The material can also be more prone to breaking than plastic, aluminum and paper.
Muhammad Rabnawaz: Confronting the plastics problem
MSU Today online
2021-12-07
“The idea is to make everything easier,” says Rabnawaz, an assistant professor in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “If we can do that, we can stop thinking of plastic as a waste or a burden. We can treat it as a resource.”
Innovator of the Year: Muhammad Rabnawaz
MSU Innovation Center online
2021-10-01
Muhammad Rabnawaz’s mind is brimming with ideas. The assistant professor in Michigan State’s School of Packaging and adjunct professor in the Department of Chemistry is constantly looking for ways to blend fundamental science with large-scale impact. “I grew up in Pakistan and did my Ph.D. in Canada,” Rabnawaz said. “Coming to the U.S. was a game changer for me. I never imagined one could do so many things in this country. It’s so robust, and the people are hard-working, passionate, motivated. They’re big dreamers.”
Innovator Spotlight
MSU Innovation Center online
2019-11-01
Dr. Muhammad Rabnawaz is making the world a greener place through his paper research at Michigan State University. Rabnawaz, assistant professor in the School of Packaging and adjunct professor in the department of chemistry, is researching and developing smarter and more environmentally friendly packaging solutions. “Our projects are highly applied, and we expect close collaboration with world-leading industries,” Rabnawaz said. “These partnerships will offer unique training and career opportunities for our research group members. Currently, we are collaborating with companies across the globe testing our paper coating technology.”
Journal Articles (5)
Mechanical Recycling of a Bottle-Grade and Thermoform-Grade PET Mixture Enabled by Glycidol-Free Chain Extenders
Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research2024 The accumulation of plastics in landfills and oceans poses a significant environmental threat, and this issue has led to a strong push for more and more plastic recycling. Recycled polyesters such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) have inferior performance in comparison with their virgin counterparts. This performance can be restored by employing chain extenders (CEs), but they are often glycidol-based and present health concerns. Reported herein is a novel approach to valorizing bottle-grade PET (PET-B) and thermoform-grade PET (PET-T) waste by developing a novel glycidol-free hindered epoxy as a CE to enhance the mechanical and thermal characteristics of PET-B + PET-T blends.
Design of Carboxylic Acid‐Functionalized Poly(Butylene Adipate‐co‐Terephthalate) for Recyclable and Biodegradable Zero‐Waste Paper Packaging
Advanced Sustainable Systems2024 Demand for water‐ and oil‐repellent‐coated paper as an alternative to plastics is growing, but the challenge is that coated paper lacks concurrent recyclability and biodegradability. Reported herein is a novel carboxylic acid‐functionalized poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (CPBAT) copolymer investigated for recyclable and repulpable water‐borne paper coatings. The CPBAT synthesized here is characterized by spectroscopic methods. Paper coated with waterborne CPBAT exhibited excellent water, oil, moisture, and gas barrier properties suitable for packaging applications. The recyclability and repulpability of the CPBAT‐coated paper are successfully validated via certified TAPPI methods.
One-pot synthesis of robust silyl ether-based HDPE vitrimers with enhanced performance and recyclability
Polymer2024 Vitrimers are thermally reversible crosslinked polymers that combine the performance of thermosets with the benefits of melt (re)processing. However, existing high-storage modulus vitrimers lack this melt-reprocessibility. This study reports on high storage modulus vitrimers obtained by grafting vinyltrimethoxysilane onto high-density polyethylene (HDPE) using silyl ether crosslinker, bis[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]amine. We also explored the effects of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidinol and diethyl maleate on the performance of these vitrimers. All vitrimers reported herein are prepared in one step via melt-extrusion without the use of any solvent or catalyst.
Tailoring Olefin Contents Formation during Waste Plastic Pyrolysis
ACS Applied Polymer Materials2024 As reported herein, we investigated the effect of feedstock composition, reactor type, and catalyst on the olefinic composition of oil recovered through plastic pyrolysis. We investigated an open reactor versus an autoclave closed reactor using polypropylene, linear low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and low-density polyethylene, including both virgin and waste mixed plastics as feedstocks. The obtained oils were analyzed for comparison to their olefin contents.
Technoeconomic Analysis for Biodegradable and Recyclable Paper Coated with Synthetic Ionic PBAT for Packaging Application
ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering2024 This study presents a technoeconomic analysis (TEA) for a novel ionic polybutylene adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT), CPBAT, as a paper coating material, showcasing excellent water and oil resistance. This TEA determined total capital investment, operating costs, and minimum selling prices for a production capacity of 1,000 kg of CPBAT per day. The minimum selling prices of CPBAT coated on Kraft paper (CPBAT-K) and CPABT coated on starch-coated Kraft paper (CPBAT-S) are estimated to be $1.327/m2 and $1.864/m2, respectively.
