OUR RESEARCH IN A NUTSHELL
In our research group we design and synthesize polymeric products (mostly amphiphilic, biobased, and smart) of potential interest for industrial applications. They find use in very diverse areas, for example in biomedical devices, pharmaceutical emulsions, paints & coatings, sensors and actuators for robotics, petroleum engineering fluids, agrochemical products, and personal care products.
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Our approach is based on preparing tailored structures (with respect of monomer choice, molecular weight, composition, etc…), mostly by ATRP and RAFT polymerization, but also on polycondensation, when required by the desired structure and properties.
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We study relevant properties, especially, rheological and interfacial ones and we test the polymers for a certain application. In this way, we obtain information on which structural parameters needs to be considered in the design of a polymeric product for that specific application. Applications investigated includes: enhanced oil recovery, dispersants and emulsifiers (for pharmaceutical or personal care products), materials with sensing and actuating behavior for biomedical devices, drug delivery and anti-bacterial products, smart and sustainable coatings (e.g., with self-healing properties).
Novel strategies for amphiphilic polyelectrolytes synthesis and solution properties
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Conductive and stretchable hydrogels for motion sensing devices
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Biodegradable and biobased amphiphilic polymers with antibacterial properties
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Sustainable polymeric emulsifiers/dispersants for personal care or pharmaceutical products
New polymeric surfactants for enhanced oil recovery
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Functional polymeric materials for soft robotics on micro scale
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From sugar industry side streams to biodegradable polymeric materials
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Adhesive and coating materials from hydrophobically modified starch in supercrtitical CO2
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Biodegradable super absorbent polymers (SAPs) from renewable sources
Amphiphilic polymers as dispersants for solar concentrator (with University of Pisa)
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Bio-based amphiphilic polymers from lactic acid acrylate derivatives (with University of Tarragona)
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Amphiphilic polymers from lignin and polysaccharides (with other research groups at RUG)
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Self-healing materials based on reversible cross-linking via Diels-Alder (with other research groups at RUG)
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Bio-based polyesters from waste cooking oil (WCO) (with University of Bari and Rewow)