Research topics/ equipment

Research topics

  • detailed investigations into polymerization kinetics and mechanisms
  • emulsion polymerizations
  • modeling of polymerization processes with mcPolymer
  • use  of machine learning methods
  • anionic polymerizations
  • rheology
  • POM-POM polymers
  • recycling of polymers and textiles
  • utilization of biobased monomers
  • synthesis of proton exchange membranes for fuel cells or vanadium redox flow batteries via radiation induced grafting
  • supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) as reaction and process medium
  • polymerization of fluorinated olefins (e.g. vinylidene fluoride)
  • functionalization of PVDF
  • tailor-made polymers using controlled radical polymerizations (ITP, ATRP, RAFT, NMP)
  • high pressure reactions
  • poly(meth)acrylate systems
  • biodegradable polymers
  • enzymatic polymerization
  • ionic liquids (ILs) and polymers

Research equipment

  • emulsion polymerization set-up for gaseous monomers with feeding
  • FTIR/NIR spectrometer, Bruker Vertex 70, spectral range 400 to 12000 cm-1
  • pulsed excimer laser (351 nm, ExciStar XS 500, Coherent)
  • differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Mettler Toledo
  • thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Mettler Toledo
  • size-exclusion chromatography with RI, UV, MALLS and viscosity detector for THF, HFIP and DMAc as eluents
  • Zetasizer Nano series, Malvern
  • density meter, Anton Paar
  • kinetic Monte Carlo simulator mcPolymer
  • material testing machine, Zwick
  • set-up for testing vanadium redox flow batteries
  • set-up to characterize mid-temperature fuel cells
  • high-pressure set-up to prepare mixtures containing CO2 and liquid / gaseous monomers
  • optical high-pressure cells, Tmax= 300 °C and pmax= 3000 bar