AREAS OF EXPERTIES - DEPARTMENT OF POLYMER CHEMISTRY AND MATERIAL SCIENCE

Based on our expertise and inventions, our Department has a long history of successful research and development contracts (R&D) and cooperations with both domestic and foregin companies ranging from small enterprises to multinational firms on the areas listed below.

Synthesis of Polymers with New Structures

R&D on the synthesis of a large variety of polymers as well as their block copolymers, e. g. polyisobutylenes, polystyrenes, other vinyl polymers (acrylates, methacrylates, etc.), polymers containing heteroatoms, branched and cross-linked macromocules with unique topologies and properties etc., with well-defined structure and molecular weights, with small polydispersities (suitable for GPC/SEC standards as well), and with functional groups by various polymerization techniques is carried out by us up to 100 g amounts. The potential applications of such R&D materials include drug carriers, biomaterials, new type of coatings with small amount of solvents (low VOC coatings), additives for motor oils, nonionic surface active materials, cosmetics, polymer additives, nanocarriers, nanotemplates, nanohybrids, polymers fo nanomedicine etc.

Biomaterials, Nanocomposites, Nanohybrids Based on Nanostructured Amphiphilic Polymer Conetworks

These new and very promising materials are made only few research groups in the world. Our Department is carrying out pioneering R&D with these novel macromolecular structures. By orders, as well in the framework of R&D contracts we can offer

• synthesis of amphiphilic conetworks
• wide range of investigations on their physical, chemical and biological properties
• search for new unconventional applications and development of them

Degradative Transformations and Recycling of Polymers

In the field of the degradative decomposition and search for possibilities of new type reuse of industrial polymers, such as PVC, we have elaborated several new procedures. Our accumulated know-how can be utilized in further R&D projects to investigate further potential possibilities.

Determination of Molecular Weight Distribution and Average Molecular Weight by Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC)

Contact persons: Béla Iván and Márta Szesztay

Our laboratory, equipped with a multidetector (RI, UV, online viscosimetry, multi-angle laser light scattering) GPC, functions as a Central European reference laboratory. This equipment is able to determine the average molecular weights (M n , M w , M z ) and intrinsic viscosity, molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity distributions of a large variety of polymers even without existing GPC standards.