Chapter Four · failure evidence
What Polymerization Techniques got wrong, from 80 dissertations
Across the records, polymer synthesis and processing methods frequently encounter difficulties such as premature termination, unexpected side reactions, and structural defects. Many experimental techniques struggle with poor interfacial adhesion, incomplete network formation, and colloidal instability during material fabrication. These records come from PhD theses at 18 institutions, 2021 to 2026. Each links to its thesis. They were extracted by language models reading the full text, so treat each as a lead to read, not a verdict.
Controlled and free radical polymerizations fail due to side reactions, radical quenching, and mediator limitations
Free radical and controlled radical polymerizations often suffer from catalyst poisoning, deoxygenation inconsistency, and metal or initiator toxicity that damages encapsulated biologics. Attempts to control chain growth or use photoredox catalysts frequently result in negligible monomer conversion, unmediated propagation, or severe degradation of sensitive components.
Tried and failed
nitrogen bubbling deoxygenation applied to atom transfer radical polymerization. Outcome: unstable. Reason: incomplete or variable oxygen removal led to batch-to-batch kinetic inconsistency and low-molecular-weight tailing
Polymer-Ligated Nanocrystals with Tunable Dimensions, Compositions, and Architectures · Georgia Tech
Tried and failed
radical polymerization of functionalized aromatic monomers applied to monomers lacking a flexible alkyl spacer. Reason: absence of a flexible spacer between the polymerizable group and aromatic core inhibited radical polymerization
Tried and failed
reversible deactivation radical polymerization network synthesis applied to crosslinked polymer network mechanical properties. Outcome: worse than baseline. Reason: controlled growth delayed percolation leading to more brittle networks and increased molecular damage under strain
Tried and failed
covalent template-directed free-radical polymerization applied to sequence-controlled polymer synthesis. Reason: inter-template propagation or radical recombination caused product degree of polymerization to exceed template length
Covalent Template-Directed Synthesis: A Powerful Tool for the Construction of Complex Molecules. · Cambridge
Tried and failed
macromolecular photoinitiator steric shielding of encapsulated molecules applied to photocrosslinkable hydrogel photo-switch encapsulation. Outcome: unstable. Reason: cleaved radical fragment lacking the bulky polymer group caused radical degradation of sensitive encapsulated photoswitches
Donor-acceptor stenhouse adducts: a basis for dynamic, light-switchable hydrogels · Imperial
Tried and failed
anionic and radical polymerization applied to sulfinyl diene monomers. Reason: no polymer product formed under initiator conditions
Functional Polymer Materials: From Iptycenes to Ring-Opening Polymerizations · MIT
Tried and failed
photoredox ATRP using organic photosensitizers alone applied to controlled radical polymerization of methacrylates. Reason: insufficient photocatalytic activity or energy transfer without quantum dot photocatalysts resulted in negligible monomer conversion
Synthesis, Properties, and Assemblies of Uniform Polymer-ligated Nanocrystals · Georgia Tech
Tried and failed
low concentration initiator and accelerator free-radical polymerization applied to salt-containing hydrogel synthesis. Reason: insufficient active radicals formed to overcome salt inhibition and induce gelation
Physics and Engineering of Moisture-Capturing Hydrogels for Water and Heat Harvesting · MIT
Lost to a baseline
Acrylate-NBE monomers showed lower grafting efficiency and slower polymerization kinetics than non-photolabile acrylate systems (such as PEGMA or acrylic acid) due to radical inhibition by nitro groups.
Photo-responsive polymer networks for the design of polymer coatings with light-tunable properties · IRIS - POLITO - prod
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Rejected grafting-from radical polymerization on anisotropic metal nanoparticles because free radicals rigorously etch the metal.
Thin-Film Polymer Nanocomposites Composed of Two-Dimensional Plasmonic Nanoparticles and Graphene · Virginia Tech
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: ATRP living radical polymerization was rejected due to reported disadvantages concerning metal contaminants.
Synthesis and self-assembly of hydrophobically modified polybetaines · Texas Tech
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Rejected controlled radical polymerisations (ATRP, RAFT, NMP) in favour of GTP due to slower kinetics, transition metal toxicity/removal issues (ATRP), and toxic/odorous thiol CTAs (RAFT)
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Rejected methacrylated alginate cryogel crosslinking via TEMED and APS redox free-radical polymerization for T cell encapsulation due to generation of free radicals that react with and damage encapsulated proteins; adopted tetrazine-norbornene click chemistry.
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Rejected UV photopolymerization (e.g., of gelatin methacrylate) due to toxic radical photoinitiators preventing germinal center response.
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Acrylic co-polymers formed via radical polymerization as phosphor embedding matrices, rejected due to photoluminescence quenching from radical initiators.
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Discarded DDMAT as RAFT agent for copolymerizations due to inability to control MMA methacrylates.
Synthesis of random and block copolymers from terpene-based and acrylate-based monomers · University of Nottingham Repository
Tried and failed
exponential feed rate of control agent applied to reversible deactivation radical polymerization. Reason: lag in regulator accumulation caused initial unmediated polymerization, yielding bimodal distributions
Ring-opening and metathesis polymerizations encounter monomer decomposition, reactivity mismatches, and equilibrium limitations
Ring-opening metathesis reactions frequently suffer from backbiting, cross-metathesis side reactions, and monomer deactivation caused by polar or electron-withdrawing substituents. Monomer reactivity ratio disparities and ring-chain equilibrium constraints also lead to compositional drift, low overall conversions, and insoluble gel formation.
Tried and failed
acid-catalyzed ring-opening metathesis polymerization applied to strained cyclopropenes. Outcome: unstable. Reason: monomer decomposed under reaction conditions yielding no polymer
Tried and failed
living ring-opening metathesis at high dilution applied to high molecular weight polymer synthesis. Outcome: unstable. Reason: dominant backbiting and cross-metathesis side reactions led to loss of polymerization control
Biomimetic elastomers from ring-opening metathesis polymerization · UT Austin
Tried and failed
ring-opening polymerization at low monomer-to-initiator ratio applied to asymmetric cyclic diester polymerization. Outcome: worse than baseline. Reason: low monomer loading promoted dominant transesterification side-reactions, reducing regioselectivity and increasing dispersity
POLYESTER SEQUENCE CONTROL VIA REGIO- AND STEREOSELECTIVE RING-OPENING POLYMERIZATIONS · Cornell
Tried and failed
ring-opening metathesis polymerization using ruthenium catalyst applied to bridged bicyclic ketone monomers. Reason: insufficient ring strain or unfavorable electronics compared to twisted amide analogues prevented polymerization
Synthesis, reactivity and polymerization of bridged bicyclic twisted amides · Georgia Tech
Tried and failed
short duration ring opening metathesis polymerization applied to electron withdrawing functionalized norbornene monomers. Outcome: too slow. Reason: electron-withdrawing nitrile groups deactivate catalyst or slow metathesis kinetics requiring extended reaction times
Tried and failed
ring-opening metathesis polymerization applied to 1,5-cyclooctadiene monomer. Reason: formed viscous fluids rather than handleable solid polymers
Spatially defined crystallinity within multimaterial polymeric networks · UT Austin
Tried and failed
stereoselective ring-opening metathesis polymerization applied to cis-cyclooctene polymerization. Outcome: too slow. Reason: catalysts exhibited low catalytic activity yielding low monomer conversions even at elevated temperatures
Spatially defined crystallinity within multimaterial polymeric networks · UT Austin
Tried and failed
sterically hindered branching agent in graft-through polymerization applied to ring-opening metathesis star polymer synthesis. Outcome: worse than baseline. Reason: branching agent reduced monomer reactivity, suppressing propagation and yielding incompletely converted intermediates
The design and application of functional enyne reagents in metathesis polymerization · Georgia Tech
Tried and failed
driving copolymerization to high conversion applied to random ring-opening copolymer synthesis. Reason: reactivity ratio disparity causes compositional drift and loss of random copolymer architecture at high conversion
RATIONAL DESIGN OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE AMORPHOUS POLYMER ELECTROLYTES · Cornell
Tried and failed
metathesis polymerization at higher monomer concentrations applied to functionalized cyclic olefin monomers. Reason: produced insoluble gel-like materials preventing solution characterization
Tried and failed
seven-membered cyclic comonomers in ring-opening metathesis copolymerization applied to cleavable random copolymer synthesis. Reason: mismatched reactivity ratios and high equilibrium monomer concentrations caused gradient rather than random copolymerization
Entropy Drives the Predictive Discovery of an Optimal Cleavable Comonomer for ROMP · MIT
Tried and failed
Selective vinyl polymerization from monomer mixture applied to unseparated lactone monomer mixture. Reason: Concurrent ring-opening polymerization occurred at room temperature, causing crosslinking and low monomer recovery yields
Tried and failed
extending reaction time to increase conversion applied to anionic ring-opening polymerization. Reason: monomer conversion plateaued due to ring-chain equilibrium
RATIONAL DESIGN OF HIGH-PERFORMANCE AMORPHOUS POLYMER ELECTROLYTES · Cornell
Tried and failed
rare-earth alkoxide catalyzed ring-opening polymerization applied to vinyl-functionalized lactone monomers. Reason: catalyst failed to selectively trigger ring opening over vinyl-addition across tested temperatures
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Rejected diblock copolymer synthesis via poly(6)-PCO route due to poor monomer conversion (<40%), low reaction yields, and intractable polymer insolubility after oxidation
Development of additives for the controlled degradation of polyethylene · Imperial
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Rejected direct polymerization of cyclic monomers bearing polar groups due to low polymer yields (e.g., 3-37%).
Hydrogel crosslinking and photopolymerization processes fail from curing interference, thermal exotherms, and network defects
Photopolymerization in watery or filled networks is frequently hindered by moisture inhibition, light attenuation, and unmoderated reaction exotherms exceeding the lower critical solution temperature. In addition, unbalanced precursor formulations and excessive vinyl substitution result in uncontrolled thermoset gelation, structural tearing, or failure to form cohesive networks.
Tried and failed
trans-tissue photopolymerization of synthetic hydrogels applied to in situ hydrogel formation through tissue. Reason: Severe light attenuation through tissue and low reactive group density prevented polymerization
Engineered synthetic hydrogel platform for human intestinal organoids in vitro culture and in vivo therapeutic delivery · Georgia Tech
Tried and failed
interpenetrating polymer network hydrogel fabrication applied to multi-component extracellular matrix hydrogels. Reason: failed to form true interpenetrating networks despite retaining components without macroscopic phase separation
Tried and failed
plasma surface modification for demoulding release applied to photopolymerised micro-moulded hydrogels. Reason: insufficient anti-stiction without silanisation caused hydrogel tearing during mould release
Lost to a baseline
EMI-composite showed lower final storage modulus than EMI-ionogel due to ceramic aggregates blocking UV penetration during photopolymerization.
Towards Solid-State Hybrid Polymer Electrolytes by Innovative, Rapid, and Solvent-Free Procedures · IRIS - POLITO - prod
Tried and failed
room temperature polymerization without thermal regulation applied to thermoresponsive hydrogel synthesis. Reason: polymerization exotherm heated the reaction mixture above its lower critical solution temperature, causing phase separation and opacity
Sensor-Enabled Accelerated Engineering of Soft Materials · Virginia Tech
Tried and failed
direct sequential photopolymerisation without an intermediate adhesive applied to hydrophobic-hydrophilic bilayer actuators. Reason: post-curing degraded interfacial radical availability or excessively crosslinked the hydrogel, impairing responsiveness
3D printed stimuli-responsive biomaterials for programmable drug delivery · Imperial
Tried and failed
single-network polymer hydrogel without porous templating applied to hydrogel water release under mechanical stress. Outcome: unstable. Reason: Lack of sponge-like channels prevents force-induced water release, causing structural fragmentation under stress.
Material design and molecular engineering of hydrogels for solar desalination · UT Austin
Tried and failed
multivalent cation crosslinking of biopolymer hydrogels applied to hydrogel bead synthesis. Outcome: unstable. Reason: insufficient polymer or crosslinker concentration failed to form stable gel network
The Valorization of Agricultural by Products for the Removal of Inorganic Phosphate from Water · Scholarship at UWindsor Institutional Repository
Tried and failed
thermoresponsive diblock and statistical copolymer synthesis applied to hydrogel sol-gel transition. Outcome: no signal. Reason: copolymers failed to undergo physical gelation or form stable networks across tested concentrations and temperatures
Identifying design criteria for ethylene glycol-based methacrylate thermoresponsive polymer · Imperial
Tried and failed
solvent-free thermal bulk polymerization without initiator applied to vinyl monomer network synthesis. Reason: produced an inhomogeneous, glassy product instead of a uniform polymer network
Tried and failed
tuning block copolymer composition balance for thermogelation applied to symmetric multiblock terpolymer hydrogels. Reason: excess hydrophobicity or hydrophilicity disrupted network formation, causing precipitation instead of gelation
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Using HA polymer concentrations exceeding 3% was rejected because the resulting high viscosity hindered experimental operations and caused hydrogel non-uniformity and structural defects.
Tough Injectable Hydrogels by Combining Elastic and Energy Dissipation · Research Repository UCD
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Rejected full acrylation of lignin bio-oil hydroxyls because multiple polymerizable vinyl sites per oligomer caused uncontrolled crosslinking and thermoset gelation instead of linear thermoplastics.
Lignin valorization for carbon based materials · Iowa State
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Rejected cationic photopolymerization because moisture in watery hydrogel structures inhibits the reaction.
PHOTOCURABLE HYDROGELS FOR TISSUE ENGINERING APPLICATIONS · IRIS - POLITO - prod
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Rejected standard ProExM single-gel polymerization because sodium acrylate destabilized the hyaluronan filler network.
Expansion Microscopy of Extracellular Space for Light Microscopy-Based Connectomic Analysis · MIT
Polymer film coating and surface functionalization techniques fail due to poor wettability and interfacial debonding
Polymer solutions applied to substrates often suffer from dewetting, sliding off low-energy surfaces, or developing non-uniform coverage during spin-coating and slot-die deposition. Coatings and interlayers also delaminate readily during solvent exposure, wire bonding, or plating because of weak interfacial adhesion and poor surface activation.
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Rejected oxygen plasma alone or Ar-O2 plasma without vacuum baking prior to Ti/Cu sputtering because they failed to significantly increase seed-layer adhesion to polymer dielectrics.
Design and Demonstration of Mechanical and Electrical Reliability of 1-micron Redistribution Layers · Georgia Tech
Tried and failed
aqueous nanoparticle coating without emulsifier applied to reinforcing fibers for polymer composites. Outcome: worse than baseline. Reason: uneven caking and poor surface coverage reduced interfacial adhesion compared to uncoated fibers
Nanocellulose-based Glass Fiber Sizing for Lightweight Fiberglass Composites · Georgia Tech
Tried and failed
sequential polymer coating of particulate aggregate applied to thermoplastic aggregate composites. Outcome: worse than baseline. Reason: poor interfacial adhesion between incompatible polymer matrix layers reduced compressive strength
Tried and failed
low crosslinker content polymer film coating applied to sensor surface in solvent environment. Outcome: unstable. Reason: film suffered delamination from the substrate surface upon solvent soaking
Synthesis and characterization of modular, functionalizable polymer membranes for specific solute capture · UT Austin
Tried and failed
slot-die coating on low-energy substrates applied to low-viscosity photopolymer resins. Reason: The low-viscosity fluid failed to wet the low-surface-energy fluoropolymer film and slid off.
Large-volume LCD additive manufacturing : printing high-viscosity and low-reactivity elastomeric resins · UT Austin
Tried and failed
hydrolysed pure polymer linker for MOF coating applied to superhydrophobic MOF surface coatings. Outcome: worse than baseline. Reason: absence of elastomeric polymer co-component resulted in hydrophilic rather than superhydrophobic surface properties
UPCYCLING DISCARDED POLYESTER TEXTILES INTO METAL-ORGANIC FRAMEWORKS AND ELECTROSPUN NANOFIBERS · Cornell
Tried and failed
spin-coating thin films from dilute polymer solutions applied to substrate surface coating. Reason: High concentrations caused non-uniformity from excess viscosity, while low concentrations failed to wet the wafer surface properly
Surfactant migration on polymeric substrates · Imperial
Tried and failed
excessive aqueous dilution of polymer solution applied to conducting polymer thin film deposition. Reason: insufficient film coverage and poor wettability over the substrate
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Rejected polymer insulating coating on stainless steel electrode holders because it debonded at the nozzle exit causing short circuits, replaced by epoxy resin moulding via metallographic press
Enhanced surface finishing of bearing raceways · Cranfield
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Rejected gelatin capsules for direct Eudragit coating due to poor polymer adhesion
Bowel MRI imaging to investigate drug delivery from coated capsules · University of Nottingham Repository
Tried and failed
polymer surface passivation applied to semiconductor device fabrication. Outcome: unstable. Reason: poor interfacial adhesion during subsequent wire bonding processes
Development, Fabrication and Characterization of III-Nitride Bipolar Devices: Rectifiers, Avalanche Photodiodes, and Laser Diodes · Georgia Tech
Tried and failed
direct metal electroplating on conducting polymer interlayers applied to multilayer metal polymer laminated structures. Reason: insufficient surface activation and nucleation failure on specific surfactant-doped polymer surfaces
Additively Fabricated Laminated Inductors For Miniaturized Switching Power Converters · Penn
Interfacial polymerization and membrane fabrication techniques produce selective layer defects and substrate fouling
Interfacial polymerization reactions can lead to membrane defects and poor salt rejection when using branched monomers, fluorinated chains, or incompatible support surfaces. In addition, casting solvents and large macromolecular aggregates can dissolve the underlying porous support or irreversibly block pores during membrane synthesis.
Tried and failed
immersion interfacial polymerization without solvent solubility tuning applied to porous substrate surface coating. Outcome: no signal. Reason: insufficient poor-solvent fraction prevented polymer precipitation onto the substrate
Tried and failed
solution deposition on polymeric porous substrate applied to thin film composite membrane fabrication. Reason: the casting solvent rapidly dissolved the underlying polymer support layer
Ion-selective membranes for hydrogen-metal hybrid redox flow batteries · Imperial
Tried and failed
vapor phase infiltration treatment applied to polyimide separation membrane supports. Outcome: worse than baseline. Reason: low precursor diffusivity into the polymer matrix and lack of favorable chemical binding sites
Designing Organic Solvent Reverse Osmosis Membranes for The Separation of Liquid Hydrocarbons · Georgia Tech
Tried and failed
incorporating long fluorinated chains into interfacial polymerization monomers applied to ultrathin polyamide membrane synthesis. Outcome: worse than baseline. Reason: poor precursor solubility and slow interfacial diffusion prevented defect-free film formation, lowering permeance
Tried and failed
aqueous self-assembly of block copolymers applied to continuous membrane fabrication. Reason: polymers preferentially assembled into isolated micelles and vesicles rather than continuous planar membrane structures
Tried and failed
interfacial polymerization using branched multifunctional monomers applied to thin-film composite desalination membranes. Outcome: worse than baseline. Reason: membrane defect formation led to poor salt rejection
Tried and failed
interfacial polymerization without surface pre-treatment applied to large-pore or acidic membrane supports. Reason: proton interference and excessive pore size prevented defect-free selective layer formation
Nanostructured solvent-stable membranes for solvent permeation and pharmaceutical separation · Imperial
Tried and failed
two-step coating of ionic liquid on polymer applied to gas separation membranes. Outcome: worse than baseline. Reason: interfacial incompatibility between ionic liquid and unmodified polymer caused defective, uncovered membrane regions
Design, Fabrication, Scale-Up, and Process Integration of Nanoconfined Ionic Liquid Membranes for CO2 Separation from Industrial Flue Gas · DSpace at SUNY Buffalo
Tried and failed
nonsolvent-induced phase separation with poor nonsolvent miscibility applied to block copolymer membrane fabrication. Reason: low solvent miscibility with the coagulation bath prevented pore formation, producing dense non-porous films
Polymers for water and energy systems · UT Austin
Tried and failed
direct in-situ interfacial polymerization on porous support applied to nanofiltration membrane fabrication. Outcome: worse than baseline. Reason: large self-assembled macromolecular aggregates blocked support pores smaller than their size
Tried and failed
vapor phase infiltration of metal precursors applied to microporous polymer membranes. Outcome: worse than baseline. Reason: titanium precursor infiltration failed to enhance polymer resistance to organic solvent dissolution
Designing the Structure of Inorganic Clusters Within Vapor Phase Infiltrated Polymer Membranes to Control Properties · Georgia Tech
Emulsion and dispersion polymerizations suffer from droplet coalescence, latex coagulation, and uncontrolled phase separation
Miniemulsion, emulsion, and dispersion polymerization systems frequently fail when elevated monomer phase viscosity triggers massive latex coagulation. Furthermore, inadequate stabilization and slow polymerization kinetics allow particles to coalesce, aggregate prematurely, or form ill-defined microscale networks instead of discrete nanoparticles.
Tried and failed
free radical polymerisation with chemical initiators applied to nanoparticle encapsulation in hydrogels. Outcome: unstable. Reason: slow polymerisation kinetics allowed particles to aggregate before the matrix gelled
Effect Of Probe Characteristics And Hydrogel Structure On Single Nanoparticle Dynamics · Penn
Tried and failed
incorporating polymer-grafted nanoreinforcements via miniemulsion polymerization applied to waterborne acrylic latex films. Outcome: worse than baseline. Reason: failed to improve tensile strength, strain at break, or storage modulus relative to neat polymer latex
Incorporating cellulose nanocrystals into waterborne acrylic coatings towards eco-friendly formulations · Georgia Tech
Tried and failed
symmetric polymer-grafted nanoparticles as emulsion stabilizers applied to stabilizing immiscible liquid emulsions. Outcome: unstable. Reason: insolubility of symmetric polymer shell in one of the emulsion phases prevented interfacial stabilization
Precise Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications of Nonlinear Polymers with Varied Architectures · Georgia Tech
Tried and failed
continuous monomer feeding in emulsion polymerization applied to thermoresponsive hydrogel nanoparticles. Outcome: worse than baseline. Reason: particle size growth plateaued, yielding insufficient particle dimensions for effective infrared transmittance modulation
Disordered Optics for Multidimensional Information Processing · MIT
Tried and failed
incorporating functionalized nanoparticles in miniemulsion polymerization applied to waterborne acrylic nanocomposite latex synthesis. Outcome: unstable. Reason: elevated monomer phase viscosity caused massive latex coagulation during polymerization
Incorporating cellulose nanocrystals into waterborne acrylic coatings towards eco-friendly formulations · Georgia Tech
Tried and failed
solution polymerisation in polar organic solvents applied to crosslinked polyester dimethacrylate nanoparticle synthesis. Reason: failed to yield discrete nanoparticles without aqueous precipitation driving phase separation
Lost to a baseline
P-H1 (MMA-based diblock) showed lower emulsion stability (lower fraction of cream phase resolved) than BuMA, HeMA, and LMA diblock copolymers.
Novel polymeric surfactants to stabilise emulsions · Imperial
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Rejected direct copolymerization of unprotected hydrophilic monomers in the emulsion core due to formation of microscale polymer networks/aqueous phase polymerization; substituted with TMS-protected monomers (TMS-HEMA).
Considered and rejected
Considered and rejected: Poly(4-vinylpyridine) homopolymer was rejected in favor of poly(4-vinylpyridine)-co-styrene (P4VP-r-PS, 90:10) to prevent emulsion coalescence during solvent evaporation.
Ring-opening Metathesis Polymerization for the Creation of Responsive Colloids and Surfaces · MIT
Tried and failed
UV-initiated free-radical inverse emulsion polymerization applied to hydrogel nanoparticle synthesis. Outcome: unstable. Reason: produced non-uniform particle sizes, high batch-to-batch variability, and severe particle aggregation
Left open by the authors
Problems the authors named and did not get to.
Left open
Model and control phase separation kinetics and domain uniformity in interpenetrating polymer networks using controlled radical polymerization methods. Blocker: Requires a polymer synthesis wet lab to perform and validate controlled radical polymerization experiments
Light-based mechanical patterning in soft matter materials · UT Austin
Left open
Conduct in vivo animal model testing of APGD for functional soft tissue repair such as cartilage, muscle, vasculature, or skin. Blocker: Requires wet lab synthesis of APGD polymer and in vivo animal testing facilities
3D Printed Biodegradable And Shape Memory Polymer Poly(Glycerol Dodecanedioate) (PGD) For Soft Tissue Reconstruction · Georgia Tech
Left open
Toughen soft, elastic, and functional polyether networks using advanced polymer network design strategies. Blocker: Requires wet lab chemical synthesis and mechanical testing of polyether networks
Left open
Fabricate a reliable interpenetrating polymer network hydrogel based on the inferred extracellular matrix protein ratios. Blocker: Requires a wet lab and materials chemistry/tissue engineering fabrication apparatus to synthesize the hydrogel
Left open
Apply non-toxic, heavy-atom-free thionaphthalimide photopolymers to fabricate biocompatible tissue scaffolds. Blocker: Requires a wet chemistry and biomaterials laboratory for photopolymerization and biocompatibility testing
A guide to photocuring catalyst selection · UT Austin
Left open
Develop branching metathesis polymerization by increasing selectivity between alkyne addition and monomer cycloaddition to synthesize hyperbranched polymers. Blocker: Requires wet lab chemical synthesis, polymerization equipment, and Grubbs ruthenium catalysts
The design and application of functional enyne reagents in metathesis polymerization · Georgia Tech
Left open
Synthesize and evaluate APGD co-polymers to reduce in vitro cytotoxicity and tune mechanical properties for soft-hard interfaces. Blocker: Requires a wet chemistry and biomaterials lab for polymer synthesis, photocuring, mechanical testing, and in vitro cytotoxicity assays
3D Printed Biodegradable And Shape Memory Polymer Poly(Glycerol Dodecanedioate) (PGD) For Soft Tissue Reconstruction · Georgia Tech
Left open
Graft polymers onto poly[[(4-fluorophenyl)sulfonyl]-1,4-phenylene] core via nucleophilic aromatic substitution to synthesize star and branched architectures. Blocker: Requires a wet chemistry laboratory and physical chemical reagents to perform polymer synthesis and grafting reactions
Left open
Develop synthetic polymer tissue surrogates with controlled viscosity to replicate temporary wound cavity expansion and radial cracking under ballistic impact. Blocker: Requires materials synthesis laboratory and physical ballistic testing apparatus.
Predicting blast injury to the torso · Imperial
Left open
Perform cytotoxicity testing and biocompatibility assays on thermoresponsive methacrylic terpolymers near body temperature. Blocker: Requires wet lab cell culture facilities and physical synthesis of the terpolymer samples
Self-assembled block copolymers: micelles, polymersomes and gels · Imperial
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