Olefin and conjugated diene polymerization Catalysis ; Organometallic Chemistry ; Supported homogeneous catalysts ; Synthesis of new polymers
Degrees
• «Diplôme d'ingénieur ENSCM» in chemistry (equivalent to a Master of science), Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Montpellier (1992)
• Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, University Paris-Sud 11 - Orsay (1996)
• Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (2006)
Research Interests
The activity of the Polymerization Catalysis Group covers commodity polymers (polyethylene, iPP: isotactic-polypropylene) and new polyolefins. The preparation of well-defined catalysts with control properties (ligand effects) may allow to access to new polymers. Two very challenging reactions are studied in the group : the copolymerization of olefins with conjugated dienes and of olefins with polar monomers. Polyethylene and iPP are very important materials with a production around 100 MT/year. Single site catalysts (metallocenes in particular) provide materials with improved properties but these catalysts are not tuned to heterogeneous olefin polymerization processes which require solid catalysts. The preparation of original supports for immobilization and activation of single site catalyst is investigated.
The working area of PCG group is broad, it covers the fields of organometallic chemistry (early to late transition metal), the chemistry and the processes (dispersed media) of polymerization, and the characterization of polymers.
Current Projects
• Copolymerization of olefins and conjugated dienes
• Immobilisation and activation of single site catalyst using modified silica supports
• Functional polyolefins
