Projects
Tuning Process Parameters and Polymer Powder Formulation for Laser Sintering KU Leuven
Additive Manufacturing (AM), popularly known as 3D printing, is a novel group of technologies to manufacture geometrical complex parts without the need for dedicated tooling. The market of AM technologies and products has seen a consistent growth and expansion into new applications. Laser Sintering (LS) is one of the AM techniques that makes use of a laser to selectively fuse a preheated bed of thermoplastic polymer powder.
Researching ...
Encapsulation of Cadmium-Free InP-based Quantum Dots Into Polymer Microparticles: Electrospraying and Microfluidic Approaches KU Leuven
Development of an effective encapsulation of quantum dots via spray processing techniques
Electrospraying allows to create highly monosdisperse micro- to nanometer sized droplets of a solvent via an electrohydrodynamically enforced atomization of a liquid jet. The dispersion of nanoparticles and dissolution of a protective polymer in the solvent enables the creation of droplets containing a predefined number of particles and ...
High-throughput low-cost production of polymer fibers for delivery of vitamins KU Leuven
In this project, a high-throughput low-cost production method for polymer fibers with encapsulated vitamins will be developed. The research aims at making sustained-release vitamin formulations available to the general population in India, thereby solving the widespread vitamin deficiency problems. To this end, a fiber spinning setup will be designed and constructed in the lab. Subsequently, the effect of material formulation and processing ...
Multistep continuous flow photoreactors for high-precision polymer design Hasselt University
Fundamental study on self-lubricating characteristics of polymer from the perspective of wear response, interfacial dynamics and the formation of transfer layer. Ghent University
Investigating particle generation and transfer layer dynamicity at micron-scale provides precise information on the polymer wear process. Parameters contributing specifically to mild, transition and severe wear are studied for its physical interaction process in continuous sliding using advanced image based in-situ monitoring of contact surface. Thereby understanding the complex self-protecting and lubricating nature of polymers.
...
Expanding the Polymer Material Palette for Laser Sintering: the Importance of Powder Flowability KU Leuven
This PhD research studies the polymer powders used in Laser Sintering (LS) and aims to add new usable powders to the LS portfolio. The focus of the research lies on powder flow and powder creation.
Laser Sintering (LS) is a form of Additive Manufacturing (AM). AM comprises a variety of techniques which build end products layer-by-layer, from a computer aided design (CAD) model. In the case of LS, (polymer) powders are used as a base ...
Segmented polymer networks and polyelectrolyte complexes: synthesis, characterisation and their use in membrane processes Ghent University
Via polyelectrolyte complexes and segmented polymer networks (SPN), fundamental insights with regard to the transport in solvent resistent nanofiltration membranes (SRNF) will be found. This will form the starting point for the development of more performant SRNF-membranes. The SPNs will also serve to incorporate catalysts. Finally, relationships between the catalytic or separation characteristics of the membranes and the morphology of the ...
3D polymer adaptive printer (pellet printer) Ghent University
The subject of this project proposal is the further development of a new type of adaptable micro-extruder that has its main application area in the domain of 3D printing. This design of the micro-extruder has been submitted in an IDF to TT to start the patenting process.
The micro-extruder will be used in a 3D printing method called FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) which is an extrusion-based technique. Up till now this technique ...
The Investigation of Dilute and Semi-Dilute Polymer Solutions with the aid of Home-Built Extensional Rheometers KU Leuven
Several polymer solutions and emulsions exhibit time-dependent or thixotropic behavior. In other words, the characteristics of the solution not only depend on the instantaneous environment but also on the deformation history in the past. When deformation is applied, structures can build up in a solution or suspension which take time to form.
Deformation can come in 2 forms, either shear or extension. This PhD focuses on the ...