NSF: Molecular Engineering of Polymers for Processing Performance and Properties

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To design the molecular architecture of polymer chains for desired processing performance, a highly interdisciplinary effort will be required which incorporates experts in experimental and theoretical rheology, polymer processing, polymerization kinetics and catalysts, and polymer synthesis and characterization (this expertise cannot be found in any one location). Scientists from four U.S. universities (with expertise in non-linear rheology, flow birefringence, polymer processing and molecular rheology) will join forces with scientists from seven English universites and one from Holland to attack this problem. The research effort will capitalize on the Leeds-based Microscale Polymer Processing (MuPP) consortium with main contributions from Leeds (molecular rheology, reaction kinetics), Durham (anionic chemistry). The group at Imperial College, London is joining this co-operative programme with expertise in polymerization catalyst development for tailored molecular structure. The approach is to use model systems to establish a rheological standard by which to identify the structures present in commercially produced PE's and then develop correlations between polymerization kinetics, molecular architecture and processing performance.