Making New Materials Out of Stubborn Monomers: Approaches to Precise, Sustainable, Chemically Recyclable, and Stimuli-responsive Polymers

Speaker: Dr. Justin Kennemur, Florida State University

Host: Dr. Lawrence Sita, UMCP

Abstract: A launch-point for potentially transformative materials is the synthetic design of polymer microstructures capable of offering precise and unique branch periodicities outside of those provided by traditional monomers and methods. The concept of using low ring strain cycloolefin monomers, such as cyclopentenes, for enthalpy-driven ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) is contradictory since the release of ring-strain is the driving force for success. Our research has leveraged thermodynamic principles to gain near living-like control and high conversion from these systems. We have now carried this success forward to instill more precise architectural complexities such as highly isotactic and regioregular systems, precision polyelectrolytes, and bottlebrush polymers with precise five-carbon branch periodicities. We have carried some of these strategies over to biomass-based pinene derivates as well. Our findings on the efficacy of targeted materials and their properties will be discussed.

Organic/Inorganic Seminar