Research Unit Macromolecular Chemistry

The research division macromolecular chemistry deals with the synthesis, characterization and application of polymeric materials with special emphasis on Biomaterials and Biomedical Polymers, Fundamentals of Photopolymerization and its different fields of Application, 3D Printing and Polymer Characterization

Biomaterials and Biomedical Polymers focuses on materials for tissue engineering in the field of vascular grafts and bone replacement materials including hydrogels, clues and materials for hard tissue replacement as well as carbohydrate chemistry and renewable materials for biomedicine.

The broad field of Photopolymerization includes the topics above as well as the fundamental understanding of photoinitiation and polymerization with different mechanisms, 3D printing especially at elevated temperature, designed polymer architectures, and characterization of polymerization processes and photopolymer materials.

Our target is bridging fundamental research and industrial application.

Core competences

  • Biomaterials: Synthesis of monomers and initiators, hydrogels, elastomers and solid materials

  • Biomedical Polymers: Modification of carbohydrates and renewable materials

  • Photoinitiation: Initiator and monomer design for different mechanisms, radical, cationic, anionic, metal-catalytic

  • Photopolymerization: Monomer and initiator synthesis and designed polymer architecture

  • Additive Manufacturing: Monomers and initiators for light based 3D printing and hot lithography for all upper topics

  • Polymer Characterization: Classical organic and macromolecular characterization and advanced photopolymer characterization for all upper topics