Polyolefin Architecture Designed by Li+-catalysed Polymerization

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Michael Buback; Professor Dr. Klaus Müllen
• Subject Area: Preparatory and Physical Chemistry of Polymers
• Term: from 2009 to 2012
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 101864666

Commonly, polyoleflns are generated via polymerization in suspension or in the gas phase employing metallocenes or Ziegler-type catalysts. By this approach, only homopolymers or copolymers of different types of olefins are accessible. In the present project, the recently discovered Li+-catalysed radical polymerization of olefins is proposed for obtaining random and block copolymers of olefins with polar comonomers. The development of polymerization techniques and catalysts that allow the formation of complex polymer architectures, such as amphiphilic copolymers and core-shell particles, will be a central theme. While core-shell particles will be obtained via non-aqueous emulsion polymerization, the block copolymers will be generated by usage of controlled radical polymerizations, such as ATRP, NMRP or RAFT. Detailed kinetic investigations will be performed to support the synthetic efforts and to elucidate the new polymerization technique of olefms.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Czech Republic
• Participating Person: Professor Josef Michl, Ph.D.