Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

The need to increase production rates and/or produce new polymeric materials with existing equipment as well as the ability to replace processes with cost-effective and environmentally-friendly versions are key drivers in the polymers industry. Alternative processes include the use of biorenewable monomers, and polymerization in water-phase to produce nanostructured particles. Polymerizations are conducted at higher temperatures in order to produce polymer at manageable viscosities with reduced solvent content. Controlled-radical techniques have also emerged as a new means to control polymer microstructure and thus properties.Fundamental knowledge of polymerization kinetics and mechanisms is often lacking for these new systems and operating conditions. Our research fills this gap by applying specialized kinetic techniques with advanced polymer characterization to measure key rate coefficients not accessible through standard experimentation. The knowledge is captured in reaction engineering models implemented in a robust simulation package, with predictions compared to experimental data obtained under operating conditions similar to those in industry.While considerable progress has been made over the last several years, there is still much to do. The proposed investigations will follow-up recent advances made in the applications of controlled-radical polymerization, as well as systematically generalize our knowledge of high-temperature free-radical copolymerization kinetics. In addition, an increased focus will be placed on polymerization of water soluble monomers and bio-sourced monomers. This research will enable new manufacturing processes and operating strategies to reduce production costs and environmental impact of these materials, as well as reduce the experimentation required to bring new materials to market. In addition, it will train four new graduate students in expertise important to the Canadian polymers industries, and expose undergraduate students to practical reaction engineering issues.