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Organisation

Organic and Bio-polymer Chemistry

Research Group

Lifecycle:1 Jan 1990 →  31 Dec 2019
Organisation profile:

The research group ''''Organic and (Bio)Polymer Chemistry'''' (OBPC) focuses on the synthesis, characterization and applications of advanced functional (macro)molecular materials. The group encompasses several subgroups with a specific and complementary expertise, closely collaborating and operating within the spearhead research domains of the Institute for Materials Research (IMO) of Hasselt University. The group is also linked to the IMEC associated laboratory ''''imomec''''. Fundamental as well as more applied research is conducted and specific attention is devoted to PhD training. The OBPC group also has a longstanding tradition in joint scientific R&D within European, national and regional projects, as well as servicing for industry and research centers. In recent years, a specific expertise on flow chemistry has been developed.

- ''''Biomolecule Design Group'''' (BDG) Prof. Dr Wanda Guedens, Prof. Dr Peter Adriaensens: The BDG group focuses on the in vitro/vivo functionalization of biomolecules and optimization of the covalent oriented coupling of these biomaterials to (solid) supports.

- ''''Design & Synthesis of Organic Semiconductors'''' (DSOS)Prof. Dr Wouter Maes, Dr Laurence Lutsen (imomec): The key competence of the DSOS group relates to the design, synthesis and characterization of organic semiconducting materials - conjugated polymers as well as related ''''small'''' molecules - and their integration in opto-electronic devices (photovoltaics, photodetectors, LEDs, transistors, chemo/biosensors,...) and theranostics, pursuing rational structure-property relations. These activities are strongly embedded in the Institute for Materials Research (and the associated laboratory imomec), facilitating interaction with materials and device physics experts and providing access to state of the art equipment.

- ''''Nuclear Magnetic Resonance'''' (NMR) Prof. Dr Peter Adriaensens: The UHasselt NMR group focuses on quantitative and non-invasive elucidation of the microstructure, molecular dynamics and phase morphology of (among others) polymer materials by means of modern liquid and solid-state NMR (relaxation) experiments in order to elucidate macroscopic material properties.

- ''''Hybrid Materials Design'''' (HyMaD) Prof. Dr Dirk Vanderzande, Dr Laurence Lutsen (imomec): The HyMaD group focuses on the design and synthesis of organic-inorganic hybrid materials with specific electrical and/or optical properties. Particular attention is paid to the use of supramolecular interactions that contribute to the formation of nano-structured hybrid material systems that exhibit functionality in both the organic and inorganic components. Potential applications in the fields of solar cells, LEDs and detectors are investigated as well.

- ''''Polymer Reaction Design'''' (PRD) Prof. Dr Tanja Junkers: The PRD group strives for the development of new materials via state of the art polymer synthesis methods. From fundamentals and kinetics of polymerizations to the design of new polymer reaction pathways, all elemental steps are addressed and custom-made materials are constructed.


Keywords:CONJUGATED POLYMERS, CONTROLLED RADICAL POLYMERIZATION, FLOW CHEMISTRY, HYBRID ORGANIC-INORGANIC MATERIALS, NMR (LIQUID/SOLID STATE), ORGANIC ELECTRONICS, ORGANIC SYNTHESIS, PEROVSKITE MATERIALS, POLYMER KINETICS, THERANOSTICS, FUNCTIONALIZED BIOPOLYMERS
Disciplines:Macromolecular and materials chemistry, Organic chemistry, Physical chemistry, Biochemistry and metabolism, Polymeric materials