Catalyst and Methodology Development for the Synthesis of Highly Tunable Polyolefins

聚合物是现代世界最重要的建筑材料之一。聚烯烃是一类聚合物，在工业聚合物中所占比例最大。尽管聚烯烃很重要，但它也有一些限制，阻碍了更广泛的应用。其中一个限制是很难将它们的物理和化学性质扩展到已知的范围之外。例如，化学功能的引入将改善与其他材料的相容性。在这个项目中，伊利诺伊大学的Damien Guironnet博士正在开发新的催化策略，以便在聚烯烃结构中引入可调的功能性化学基团。Guironnet博士积极参与建立在他的研究基础上的外展活动，以促进学生对科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）学科的参与。特别是，Guironnet博士领导化学工程系与伊利诺伊州Champaign的St. Elmo Brady STEM学院的互动。这项活动正在改善代表性不足的小学生的教育，并鼓励他们对STEM职业的兴趣。在化学学部化学催化项目的资助下，伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校的Guironnet博士正在开发一种合成策略来提高聚烯烃的化学可调性。所研究的技术方法包括使用晚过渡金属催化剂和硅烷作为链转移剂进行链转移聚合技术。这项研究的变革性方面是能够在任何聚烯烃的末端加入几乎任何分子。该策略的建立与链转移聚合机理的深入机理研究相结合。参与该项目的本科生和研究生正在获得聚合物科学、催化和无机化学方面的专业知识。这些广泛的技能提供了独特的培训和巨大的职业机会。Guironnet博士积极参与STEM外展项目，重点是在地区农村小学招募非裔美国男孩进入STEM领域，以支持该项目的更广泛影响。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Polymers are among the most important building materials in the modern world. One class of polymer, polyolefins, comprises the largest fraction of industrial polymers. Despite their importance, polyolefins have some limitations that prevent even broader use. One of these limitations is the difficulty in expanding their physical and chemical properties beyond what is now known. For example, the introduction of chemical functionality will improve compatibility with other materials. In this project, Dr. Damien Guironnet of the University of Illinois is developing new catalytic strategies to enable the introduction of tunable, functional chemical groups within the polyolefin structure. Dr. Guironnet is actively engaging in outreach activities that build upon his research to promote student engagement in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. In particular, Dr. Guironnet is leading Chemical Engineering Department interactions with the St. Elmo Brady STEM Academy in Champaign, IL. This activity is improving the education of underrepresented primary school students and encouraging their interest in STEM careers.With funding from the Chemical Catalysis Program of the Chemistry Division, Dr. Guironnet of the University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign is developing a synthetic strategy to enhance the chemical tunability of polyolefins. The technical approach being investigated consists of performing a chain transfer polymerization technique using late transition metal catalysts and silane as chain transfer agents. The transformative aspect of this research is the ability to incorporate almost any molecule at the end of any polyolefin. The establishment of this strategy is paired with in-depth mechanistic studies of the chain transfer polymerization mechanisms. The undergraduate and graduate students involved with the project are gaining expertise in polymer science, catalysis and inorganic chemistry. This broad set of skills provides a unique training with great career opportunities. Dr. Guironnet is actively engaged in STEM outreach programs focused on the recruitment of African American boys in regional rural primary schools into the STEM fields in support of the broader impacts of the project.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.