Advancing Sustainable Materials: Tailoring Polymeric Nanoparticles for Enhanced Performance and Environmental Impact

Polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) present a versatile additive platform with a potential to enhance material properties across various domains, from materials science to medicine and environmental science.

This proposal outlines a comprehensive investigation into "core-shell" PNPs synthesis and application, focusing on three key objectives.

Firstly, it aims to deepen the mechanistic understanding of PNPs formation using reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) under aquoeus conditions and explore methods for achieving colloidal stability by altering the chemical composition of the outer corona.

Secondly, it seeks to design synthetic routes for producing bio-based and biodegradable PNPs, crucial for mitigating environmental impacts post-use.

This will entail significant challenges to design monomers and the polymerization system so that the components remain stable.

Lastly, the project aims to explore PNPs´ potential applications, such as enhancing wood adhesives and coatings and facilitating structural elucidation through enhanced contrast in scattering experiments. Nanostructuring will be analyzed at large research infrastructures at MAX IV and elsewhere.

By addressing these objectives, the project aims to expand the toolkit for tailoring PNPs and pave the way for their widespread adoption in sustainable materials and applications.