Polyolefin Containing Architectures – Polymerization Methodologies

Polyolefins are the most significant and widely-used polymeric materials.

Our group has invested in the development of polymerization methodologies to combine non-polar polyolefins with other polymer classes to capitalize on their properties and realize advanced materials. Furthermore, we discovered novel pathways to modulate the branching characteristics in polyolefins through the addition of cheap additives.

These materials are envisioned to find applications as energy storage materials, compatibilizers and materials with unique mechanical, self-assembly and optical properties. Block copolymers have been identified as one of the most valuable architectures to achieve these goals.

Our work has discovered one-pot polymerization pathways and organometallic catalysts to prepare polar(vinyl) polyolefin block copolymers in the broadest monomer range and molecular weight range to date.

Research Areas

Isomerization Polymerization


The influence of the kind and quantity of an ancillary ligand or Lewis acids to the activity and access of the metal center has been investigated (2020) to modulate the branching density of alpha olefins also midway during a polymerization. It opened the possibility.

Polymer (Nano)Networks (since 2008)

We have developed the intermolecular chain crosslinking process to give us bulk and nanonetworks (nanosponges). This long-standing interest is being further developed to manipulate parent networks and using other crosslinking techniques. The primary interest in the use in the field of drug delivery and biomedical research.

MIL Rad

Metal-Organic Insertion/Light Initiated Radical (MILRad) Polymerization

MIL RadThermoplastic elastomers are the most important and widely used polymeric materials to date. We are exploring novel synthetic pathways to afford a more practical and easier access to functionalized and specialized thermoplastics. This research effort involves the investigation of the photoactivation of metal organic catalysts with a variety of monomers also in combination with other known polymerization pathways.