In order to tackle modern societal problems centered on sustainability, biomedicine, engineering, and energy, chemists are tasked with the opportunity to create new genres of matter. An increased interplay of physical organic chemistry and material science will undoubtedly give rise to the next generation of polymeric materials. Fortunately, the Golder Research Team is in a unique position to utilize synthetic chemistry to build novel macromolecular architectures that address these challenges. The discovery of structural motifs spanning a variety of size regimes requires innovative approaches to construct and link functional building blocks, thus requiring an expertise in both organic synthesis and polymer chemistry. Some ongoing research foci are described below:
1. Cyclic Polymers
Polymers without chain ends have a lower bulk viscosity, increased toughness, and enhanced mechanical durability compared to their conventional linear counterparts. Our group designs new initiators/catalysts to synthesize cyclic polymers using ring-expansion metathesis polymerization (REMP). We then use knowledge gained from mechanistic studies with these organometallic complexes to design new classes of cyclic materials and study their unique thermomechanical behaviors.
Representative Recent Publication: A General Synthesis of Cyclic Bottlebrush Polymers with Enhanced Mechanical Properties via Graft-Through Ring Expansion Metathesis Polymerization
Matthew J. Elardo, Adelaide M. Levenson, Ana Paula Kitos Vasconcelos, Meredith N. Pomfret, and Matthew R. Golder* Chem. Sci. 2024, 15, 17193.
2. Macromolecular Shapeshifters
We are exploiting the dynamic and “shapeshifting” ability of bullvalene and related fluxional carbon cages as low force, non-scissile mechanophores in soft materials. Our group synthesizes these molecular cages and incorporates them into engineered thermoplastics/thermosets for specific applications in low temperature and energy absorption performance materials.
Representative Recent Publication: Molecular Ball Joints: Mechanochemical Perturbation of Bullvalene Hardy-Cope Rearrangements in Polymer Networks
Peiguan B. Sun, Meredith N. Pomfret, Matthew J. Elardo, Adhya Suresh, Angel Renteria-Gomez, Remy F. Lalisse, Sheila Keating, Chunqiao Chen, Shayna L. Hilburg, Progyateg Chakma, Yunze Wu, Rowina C. Bell, Stuart J. Rowan, Osvaldo Gutierrez, and Matthew R. Golder* J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2024, 146, 19229.
3. Synthetic Mechanochemistry
The production of commodity and niche thermoplastics alike are synthesized more sustainably through mechanochemical methods. We use ball mill mechanochemistry to overcome issues in building block solubility while also reducing bulk organic solvent usage. This technology enables access to block co-polymers comprised of highly immiscible monomers for self-assembly applications spanning batteries to membranes.
Representative Recent Publication: Mechanoredox Catalysis Enables a Sustainable and Versatile Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization Process
Progyateg Chakma, Sarah M. Zeitler, Fábio Baum, Jiatong Yu, Waseem Shindy, Lilo D. Pozzo, and Matthew R. Golder* Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2023, 62, e202215733.
4. Polymer Sustainability
We use modern synthetic methodology to transform or degrade post-consumer polymers into value-added chemical feedstocks. Our approaches span novel mechanochemical and solution-state techniques, with an emphasis on mechanistic control over individual macromolecular transformations.
Representative Recent Publication: Liquid-Assisted Grinding Enables a Direct Mechanochemical Functionalization of Polystyrene Waste
Morgan E. Skala, Sarah M. Zeitler, and Matthew R. Golder* Chem. Sci. 2024, 15, 10900.
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Want to be part of our research team?
Are you a highly motivated, enthusiastic, and creative individual who wants to work on interdisciplinary projects spanning organic synthesis and polymer chemistry? Do you want the opportunity to interface cross-disciplinary with engineers and materials scientists?