Research Expertise and Interest

Polymer Chemistry, organic chemistry, stereoselective catalysis, polymer recycling

Research Description

The Abel group conducts research at the interfaces of polymer organic chemistry, catalysis, and materials science. They develop new living polymerization reactions, with an emphasis on stereoselective and scalable catalysis, guided by the growing energetic, environmental, and economic concerns associated with the production and end-of-life fates of synthetic materials. They pursue application-driven polymer chemistry, where the desired chemical identity, thermomechanical properties, and end-use of the polymer materials are used to guide the development of new polymerization methods. They also take a methodology approach to discovering new polymerization reactions to push the field of polymer chemistry towards previously unobtainable control over polymer microstructure, architecture, and functionality.