ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
Area of research:
Polymer chemistry, porous materials, organic synthesis
Theme:
Atom transfer radical polymerization, MOFs, COFs, polymeric composites, crosslinked polymers, Catalysis
SDGs covered:
Good Health and Well-being (SGD # 3), Clean Water and Sanitation (SGD # 6), Affordable and Clean Energy (SGD # 7), Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure (SGD # 9), Climate Action (SGD # 13).
Faculty Members:
Dr. Toheed Akhter, Dr. Shumaila Razzaque, Dr. Muhammd Arif
Description:
Organic photoredox catalyzed atom transfer radical polymerization (O-ATRP) is a polymerization technique that uses a photoredox catalyst to control the polymerization process. In ATRP, a radical initiator is used to initiate the polymerization process, and a transition metal catalyst is used to control the polymerization. In O-ATRP, a photoredox catalyst is used instead of a transition metal catalyst to initiate the polymerization process. The photoredox catalyst is excited by light, which then undergoes a single electron transfer process to reduce an initiator to form a radical species that initiates the polymerization. The use of a photoredox catalyst allows for an efficient and environmentally friendly polymerization process, as it eliminates the need for a transition metal catalyst, which can be toxic and expensive. Additionally, organic photoredox catalyzed ATRP offers greater control over the polymerization process, allowing for the synthesis of well-defined polymers with controlled molecular weight and low dispersity.
National Collaborators:
Department of Physics, UMT,
Department of Life Sciences, UMT
Department of Chemistry, QAU, Islamabad,
Department of Chemistry and CASE-EN, NUST, Islamabad,
Department of Chemistry, University of the Punjab, Lahore.
International Collaborators:
KIAST, South Korea,
UNIST, South Korea,
Gachon University, South Korea,
Seoul National University, South Korea,
Polish academy of sciences, Poland.
Students:
Muhammad Maqbool, Muhammad Asif Iqbal, Sadia Ashraf, Miss Kainat
Relevant Publications:
- Nature Catalysis, 2018. 1, 794-804,
- Frontiers in chemistry, 2022, 10, 837858,
- Chemosphere, 2023, 313, 137418,
- RSC Advances, 2023, 313, 1779,
- Micromachines, 2023, 14, 899.
