Polymer Chemistry Group

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Team leader: dr Grzegorz Szczepaniak

Team leader’s e-mail address: g.szczepaniak@uw.edu.pl

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Brief description of the research topic:

Biokompatybilna fotopolimeryzacja: rozwijamy nowe, biokompatybilne techniki polimeryzacji inicjowane światłem. Szczególny nacisk kładziemy na prowadzenie tych polimeryzacji w roztworach wodnych i w atmosferze powietrza, co jest kluczowe dla zastosowań w inżynierii biomedycznej, biodruku 3D oraz wytwarzaniu wrażliwych biomateriałów.

The Polymer Chemistry Group at the Faculty of Chemistry University of Warsaw, leverages expertise in organic chemistry, photochemistry, and polymer chemistry to develop new synthetic methods for advanced materials. Our research focuses on three key areas:

Photocatalysis: We design and synthesize novel photocatalysts that initiate polymerization under visible or near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. A core aspect of this research involves elucidating the structure-property relationships of these photocatalysts and their influence on polymerization kinetics, aiming for highly controlled and cost-effective material synthesis.

Sustainable polymer depolymerization: Our group is developing innovative methods for the depolymerization of polymers under mild conditions. This research seeks to address critical challenges in polymer recycling and circular economy principles by enabling the efficient recovery of monomers or valuable chemical feedstocks from waste polymers.

Biocompatible photoinduced polymerization: We are advancing the development of new, biocompatible photoinduced polymerization techniques. A particular emphasis is placed on conducting these polymerizations in aqueous solutions and ambient atmosphere, which is vital for applications in biomedical engineering, 3D bioprinting, and the fabrication of sensitive biomaterials.