Project R-5797

Development and application of photo-induced copper-catalyzed controlled polymerization (Research)

Photo-induced controlled radical polymerization is investigated, namely the recently introduced photo-induced copper-mediated polymerization technique (photoCMP). In this process, a controlled radical polymerization is reached via photoredox reactions involving Cu(II) species in combination with an excess of the common ligand Me6TREN. The aim of the project is to apply this methodology broadly to explore and exploit its full synthetic potential. From fundamental studies involving all major types of monomers systems over synthesis of complex precision block copolymer materials and application of continuous flow processing to laser-induced polymerization, all aspects of the polymerization technique will be addressed. Next to gaining fundamental knowledge on the governing processes that allow photoCMP to work with remarkable efficiency, various individual synthesis goals are targeted, starting from the scale-up of the reactions to the synthesis of state-ofthe-art precision polymers such as multiblocks copolymers (with ten blocks in consecution or higher) or monodisperse biomimetic sequence-controlled oligomers. Finally, the method is also applied to surface-initiated polymerization, and in combination with laser-initiation, 2D laser surface patterning will become available.

01 January 2015 - 31 December 2018