Research
Scientific Orientation of the Research Group
The Department of Macromolecular Chemistry at the University of Göttingen focuses on the development, fabrication and characterization of tailored microstructures, morphologies and topologies of synthetic polymers, also on and from surfaces, as well as on the investigation of the mechanism and kinetics of diverse polymerization processes. We control macromolecular growth by controlled radical, ionic, and catalytic polymerization methods to obtain advanced synthetic polymers and surfaces in the following areas: Polymer brushes and polymer films on solid surfaces (e.g. on gold nanoparticles, planar gold surfaces, silica nanoparticles, polymer networks, titanium oxide, carbon black, carbon nanotubes, cellulose, wood, montmorillonite, Egyptian blue, palladium, magnetite,… ),
nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical properties, planet-satellite structures, plasmonic molecules, functionalized polymers, high-performance biomimetic block polymers, UV-switchable block copolymers, printing inks, tire materials, packaging, materials for LCD screens, adhesives, and smart polymers for sensing. We study the kinetics and mechanism of radical and catalytic polymerization methods using diverse pulsed laser polymerization methods, also coupled with high time-resolution ESR spectroscopy, and computer simulations. A special focus is also the analysis of polymers by mass spectrometry, which we use for structural analysis as well as for the determination of reaction mechanisms.
