Projects
Tailor-made conjugated polymers with unique magnetic and nonlinear optical properties. KU Leuven
Self-healing and microstructural properties of cementitious materials with microfibres and coated superabsorbent polymers Ghent University
As concrete cracks due to its low tensile strength, the durability of concrete is endangered. Superabsorbent polymers are therefore used to seal and to heal cracks. The fundamental interactions between water, superabsorbent polymers and microstructure of cementitious materials will be investigated in detail and a smart self-healing material will be designed.
Stabilization of nanocomposites by controlled copolymer structures: a novel way to improved properties and new applications Ghent University
The properties of existing polymers can be improved by adding a minor fraction of nanoparticles that are small (nanometer range) in at least one dimension. Block copolymers with a controlled structure will be added as an efficient stabilizer for the nanoparticles. The influence of the microstructure or composition of the block copolymers on its stabilization efficiency will be investigated. In addition various applications for the obtained ...
Design of tunable biodegradable polymer nanoparticles for biomedical application Hasselt University
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 ...
Polymer surfaces with functional coatings Ghent University
The synthesis, mechano-chemical properties and rheological behaviour will be characterised for co(polyimide-styrene) coatings that are structured at different levels: continuous coatings, nano-particle (pure or core-shell) and nanofiber coatings, hybrid coatings with nanoparticle/nanofiber interaction and lateral structured layers controlled by surface energy. The local composition of nano-micro structures will be related to the macroscopic ...
Table top SEM with integrated in-situ micromechanical testing for fiber, polymer and composite materials Ghent University
The requested table top SEM with integrated micromechanical testing, combines a large sample chamber to accommodate a sensitive micromechanical set-up with a high magnification and easy sampling. This is highly novel and only recently available at moderate costs. The in-situ visualization of material performance under load at high magnification will boost the academic research of the applicants and their collaborators.
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 ...
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 ...