Projects
In-situ polymerized superabsorbent polymers for durable cementitious materials Ghent University
When a cementitious material is hardening, it may show shrinkage cracking. The ingress of water containing potentially harmful substances through these cracks could endanger the durability of a structure. The goal of this project is to enhance the overall durability by limiting the observed shrinkage cracking and to seal the remaining cracks in existing structures by using superabsorbent polymers (SAPs), materials which are able to absorb ...
Bio-based aromatic thermoplastic polymers from lignin-first reductive catalytic fractionation biorefinery streams KU Leuven
Bio-based materials development is needed to achieve a circular, low carbon economy. Lignin, an aromatic fraction of non-edible lignocellulosic biomass, is an underutilized fraction in materials development. With the recent development of lignin first reductive catalytic fractionation (LF-RCF) biorefineries, a low Mw lignin oil becomes available. This oil consists primarily of phenolic monomers (diols) which have yet not been explored in the ...
Surface Initiated Ring-Opening Polymerization as Tool for Grafting Polymers on Nanocelluloses KU Leuven
This project is a collaboration between the group of Wim Thielemans, specialized in the development of renewable materials using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), with the group of Philippe Zinck, specialized in polymerization catalysis and initiating polymerization from saccharides in solution. We will develop catalytic methodologies for increased control over ringopening polymerization from the surface of CNCs exemplified by their use in ...
The origin of the remarkably high hyperpolarizability of conjugated polymers KU Leuven
Since the research groups of Yokozawa and McCullough in 2004 simultaneously discovered that poly(thiophene) could be synthesized in a controlled chain-growth method, the field of conjugated polymers evolved greatly. The mechanism behind this polymerization was unraveled and the same principles were employed to polymerize a variety of new monomers in a controlled way. Also different architectures, such as block copolymers, can be synthesized ...
Application of enzyme substrate analogues: from inhibitors with anti-mycobacterial properties to synthetic genetic polymers KU Leuven
Part 1:
Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis).It is regarded as the leading cause of death from a single infectious agent, even above HIV/AIDS. Although the global tuberculosis incidence has declined marginally over the past two decades, it still affects 10 million people each year and remains out of control in several parts of Africa ...
Controlled synthesis and chiral expression of tailor-made conjugated polymers KU Leuven
In the domain of conjugated polymers there remains a lack of knowledge about their controlled synthesis and aggregation behavior, both important for the implementation of these materials in applications. Regarding the synthesis, a controlled chain-growth polymerization is aimed for since this results in polymer systems with a controlled molar mass, low dispersity and controlled end-groups, important for materials of high quality and advanced ...
Controlled synthesis of advanced supramolecular structures based on conjugated polymers. KU Leuven
Valorization of humins as a bio-based feedstock in the synthesis of functional polymers KU Leuven
Humins are by-products of many emerging biorefinery processes, where a lignocellulosic biomass is converted into platform chemicals. Leading to a large carbon loss throughout the process, their formation is however ubiquitous, which makes them an important factor in the overall strategy and process feasibility. A successful valorization of humins would open up new possibilities and increase profits of biorefinery operations. Therefore, that ...
Polylactones as polymers designed for chemical recycling to monomers: catalytic monomer synthesis, polymerization and depolymerization KU Leuven
Due to the rapidly changing circumstances for chemical feedstocks, adaptation of current processes are necessary. Ethylene is an important building block, as it is easily epoxidized and polymerized and when, due to recent advances in electrochemical synthesis of ethylene, made from carbon dioxide, also a sustainable building block. However, the ethylene-ethylene coupling reaction that synthesizes 1,3-conjugated dienes has not been thoroughly ...