Pro-Fluorescent Aryl Nitroxides: New Probes for Polymer Lifetime and Kinetics Research. Internal aryl rings present in novel probes developed for this project impart fluorescence which is efficiently and internally quenched by the presence of a paramagnetic nitroxide group. Scavenging of radicals by the nitroxide however "switches on" the fluorescence and this enables powerful new fluorescence-based detection levels for the technique of nitroxide free radical scavenging. Such sensitivity is a ....Pro-Fluorescent Aryl Nitroxides: New Probes for Polymer Lifetime and Kinetics Research. Internal aryl rings present in novel probes developed for this project impart fluorescence which is efficiently and internally quenched by the presence of a paramagnetic nitroxide group. Scavenging of radicals by the nitroxide however "switches on" the fluorescence and this enables powerful new fluorescence-based detection levels for the technique of nitroxide free radical scavenging. Such sensitivity is applicable to polymerization kinetics studies, as well as providing new means for the determination of materials lifetimes. The development of pro-fluorescent markers as indicators for polymer degradation would be a significant outcome for materials where component failure has a major negative impact.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms in Catalytic Chain Transfer Polymerization. The aim of the proposed research is to gain more insight into the mechanisms underlying catalytic chain transfer polymerization, a relatively recent controlled radical polymerization technique which is finding an increasing number of industrial applications, especially in the paint and coatings industry. An improved understanding of the catalytic chain transfer process, of which some very important features are still poorly understood, will ....Mechanisms in Catalytic Chain Transfer Polymerization. The aim of the proposed research is to gain more insight into the mechanisms underlying catalytic chain transfer polymerization, a relatively recent controlled radical polymerization technique which is finding an increasing number of industrial applications, especially in the paint and coatings industry. An improved understanding of the catalytic chain transfer process, of which some very important features are still poorly understood, will ultimately lead to better catalyst design and improved process and product control. This in turn will lead to novel polymeric materials.Read moreRead less
Defining Polymer Structures in Radical Polymerization Systems: Chain Birth, Chain Growth and Complex Macromolecular Architectures. The project underpins and extends Australia's leading position in the development and application of novel methods to generate advanced polymeric materials. By carefully studying the reaction pathways underpinning the polymerization processes, an in-depth picture of the polymerization is obtained. The research outcomes will strongly benefit the preparation of the com ....Defining Polymer Structures in Radical Polymerization Systems: Chain Birth, Chain Growth and Complex Macromolecular Architectures. The project underpins and extends Australia's leading position in the development and application of novel methods to generate advanced polymeric materials. By carefully studying the reaction pathways underpinning the polymerization processes, an in-depth picture of the polymerization is obtained. The research outcomes will strongly benefit the preparation of the coming generations of intelligent polymer materials of a highly controlled structure, responsive to their environment, with an even broader range of applications than existing polymers. In addition, the project has a substantial educational component providing training embedded in cutting polymer science for several honours and 1 PhD student.Read moreRead less
Accessing Chain Length Dependent Rate Coefficients in Reversible Addition Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) Polymerisations. The proposed project combines two exciting research areas, namely the chain length dependencies of kinetic coefficients and reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerisations. The starting point of the project will be a novel technique recently invented by our team for termination rate measurement utilizing the RAFT process. Detailed knowledge of cha ....Accessing Chain Length Dependent Rate Coefficients in Reversible Addition Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) Polymerisations. The proposed project combines two exciting research areas, namely the chain length dependencies of kinetic coefficients and reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerisations. The starting point of the project will be a novel technique recently invented by our team for termination rate measurement utilizing the RAFT process. Detailed knowledge of chain length dependent rate coefficients in both homo- and copolymerisations is essential from both an academic and industrial perspective, because polymerisation kinetics not only govern the reaction rates but influence directly the polymeric material properties.Read moreRead less
Controlled/living radical polymerization in environmentally friendly miniemulsions induced by compressed carbon dioxide for synthesis of nanoparticles and well-defined polymer. Controlled/living radical polymerization is a technique for precise synthesis of polymer by radical polymerization, which has revolutionized polymer synthesis in terms of accessible polymer structures. However, controlled/living radical polymerization has yet to gain a strong foothold in industry mainly due to problems as ....Controlled/living radical polymerization in environmentally friendly miniemulsions induced by compressed carbon dioxide for synthesis of nanoparticles and well-defined polymer. Controlled/living radical polymerization is a technique for precise synthesis of polymer by radical polymerization, which has revolutionized polymer synthesis in terms of accessible polymer structures. However, controlled/living radical polymerization has yet to gain a strong foothold in industry mainly due to problems associated with its implementation in (aqueous) dispersed systems. The present Proposal addresses this key challenge by a novel environmentally friendly and versatile method for aqueous miniemulsion preparation by use of compressed carbon dioxide. Controlled/living radical polymerization in dispersed systems generates polymeric nanoparticles, which are of importance in many advanced and emerging technologies.Read moreRead less