Radicals in Materials Technology

Overview

Traditionally free radical reactions have been used in many areas of manufacturing, including the production of plastic. However controlling these reactions and protecting materials from free radical damage once they are produced can be challenging.

Within this theme, Centre scientists are studying the impact of radicals on existing materials and using radical chemistry to create materials that have never before been made.

Through its research, the Centre is:

• designing new plastics and materials with defined architecture, weight and surface properties for medical and industrial purposes,
• synthesising new materials to control drug delivery in the body,
• producing fluorescent probes to monitor free radical damage in living cells and materials, such as plastics and paint, and
• developing an understanding of how free radicals affect artists' and building materials to produce more robust materials that are not affected by free radicals.

Research Projects

The aim of this research theme is to study the impact of radicals on existing materials and by utilizing the synthetic expertise within the Centre to create new compounds and materials.

The Centre is currently engaged in the following projects:

• Design and preparation of novel polymeric materials informed by fundamental studies on RAFT processes;
• Preparation of polymers based on computational design;
• Development of 'superbowl' host molecules for use in molecular recognition, drug delivery and catalysis;
• Investigation of total synthesis of biologically active natural products using groundbreaking chemical reactions such as radical carboxyarylation and self-terminating radical reactions;
• Development of nitroxide compounds to stabilise surface coatings to oxidative and photo-oxidative damage. This technology is being extended for use in biological systems;
• Design and development of new artists' and building materials that are less susceptible to free radical damage (in collaboration with Bluescope Steel Research).