P 4 Polymers Properties Polymerisation Processes Imperial College

P 4 Polymers Properties Polymerisation Processes Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine Department of Chemistry Department of Chemical Engineering Centre for Process Systems Engineering

Aim The aim of the project is to exploit new chemistry to produce new or improved polymeric materials as efficiently as possible by integrating the synthesis, scale-up, optimisation and characterisation steps into a connected and iterative loop. Macromolecules to markets!

Interdisciplinary Research • Polymerisation chemistry 4 J. H. G. Steinke, V. C. Gibson, A. G. M. Barrett • Polymerisation reactor engineering 4 E. Alpay, J. H. G. Steinke • Process systems engineering 4 S. P Asprey, C. C. Pantelides, E. Alpay • Characterisation of polymeric materials 4 J. S. Higgins, R. V. Law, J. H. G. Steinke, V. C. Gibson

P 4 Components

P 4 Equipment • • • Sulzer Pilot plant flexible reactor Smaller flexible reactor Triple detector GPC system from Viscotek High-T MALLS GPC systems from Waters and Wyatt UV and ELS detectors from Polymer Labs REFLEX IV MALDI-tof (+ robot) from Bruker Capillary rheometer Precision Work. Station 620 from Dell DSM micro mixer

P 4 Associated Equipment • Photo-Gonio-Diffusometer Static Light Scattering instrument (SOFICA) • Hot press for sample moulding • Mini-extruder • Glove boxes • Several balances • On- and off-line data processing

Staff Appointed to P 4 • Dr C. R. ( Substitute will arrive soon) 4 Chemistry and reaction engineering • Dr Fan Shunjie 4 Modelling and optimisation of reactors • Ms Carolina Galmes-Meerhoff 4 Ph. D student; hyperbranched systems • Mr Mark Sadler 4 Technician

Working with P 4 • Mr Simon Gretton-Watson 4 EPSRC supported Ph. D student • Mr Zulhafiz Tajudin 4 MSc student • Dr Laurent Keller 4 Unilever-funded joint A. G. M Barrett/J. H. G Steinke project

Internal Organisation Synthesis of new polymeric materials Reaction mechanisms studies, kinetic data Characterisation of molecular and end-user properties Carolina, Catherine, Joachim Overview of the project Interaction with industry Julia, Tony, Vernon, Costas Design of new polymerisation processes Transfer from lab to pilot plant scale Carolina, Catherine, Esat Set up laboratory day running and maintenance equipment Mark, Simon NMR expertise Polymer chemistry expertise Robert, Joachim Modelling and optimisation processes Process System Engineering Fan, Steven

Management Struture of P 4 • Steering Group 4 Comprise of about 7 representatives of the following categories: • Industry - incl. SMEs • Funders – EPSRC and DTI 4 Will meet half yearly • Management Group 4 Comprises of the 7 academic staff • EA, SA, AGMB, JSH, VCG, RVL, JHGS 4 Meets monthly with the P 4 staff present

Reporting Arrangements for P 4 • Monthly meetings of Management Group 4 Technical reports 4 Operational reports 4 Discussion of progress 4 Plans for future work • Half yearly progress report to the Steering Group 4 Details of some technical aspects for discussion 4 Discussion of the next phase of work

Deliverables • 4 Novel polymers at kg scale • Polymers made available for evaluation in academia and industry • Generic advances in reaction and reactor engineering • Generic approaches to predictive modelling of reaction and reactor scale-up • Trained MSci students (CEP course) • Trained Ph. D students • Trained Postdocs • Industrial consortium

Opportunities through P 4 • State-of-the-Art polymer characterisation facilities • Super-flexible and “dry” Mini Pilot Plant • Modelling with in-house software packages • Expertise of P 4 academics • Connections throughout IC

Initial Projects Have Started • Hyperbranched aliphatic polyurethanes 4 Kinetics, reaction parameter space, side reactions • Hyperbranched PMMA 4 Viscosity regime, gel limit • Syndiotactic PMMA 4 Small scale, bulk polymerisation • Novel polymer beads 4 Un-beaded performance in synthesis

Immediate Deliverables • Hyperbranched aliphatic polyurethanes 4 Initial macroscopic property profiles determined • Hyperbranched PMMA 4 Kg batch of well-characterised polymer made available for testing • Syndiotactic PMMA 4 Kg batch of highly stereoregulat polymer made available for testing • Novel polymer beads 4 Parameters for controlled bead formation established

Immediate Projects Timetable • Hyperbranched aliphatic polyurethanes 4 Kinetics, reaction parameter space, side reactions • Hyperbranched PMMA 4 Viscosity regime, gel limit

So what can you do to participate in the future success of P 4 ? • EPSRC could provide… 4…further funding eventually for new “blue skies” work • Industry could provide… 4…Problems with Polymers to work on together “Partners not Providers”

Partnership Activities • Already agreement with Sulzer to provide reactor time for interesting case studies. • Rent equipment and/or staff and possibly software for proprietorial case studies. BUT, we prefer interesting problems which we work on together – for example • Send staff to participate in joint case studies 4 expertise and technology transfer • Fund Ph. Ds or PDRAs for longer studies 4 expertise, technology and person power transfer

P 4 – 24 months on • Facility running well and routinely • Core funding for maintenance of equipment and for technical support in place • Research group of about the current size with a number of Ph. D and MSc students attached • Steering Group meeting half yearly • Consortium of interested Industrial partners who wish to participate in and develop the generic activities of P 4.