Suspension Polymerization of Hydrophilic                    Monomers
{'Code': '07020000', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'ENG', 'LongName': 'Directorate For Engineering'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'CBET', 'LongName': 'Div Of Chem, Bioeng, Env, & Transp Sys'}}
{'SignBlockName': 'Maria Burka', 'PO_EMAI': None, 'PO_PHON': None}
The PI proposes to study hydrophilic (water swellable)                          microparticle production by suspension polymerization.  Such                    polymer particles have many practical uses including:  (1) in                   chromatographic separations of small or large molecular weight                  solutes; (2) as ion-exchange resins; (3) as filling materials in                packed bed reactors; (4) as releasing agents for antifouling                    paints in marine science; (5) as carriers for enzyme                            immobilization; (6) as releasing agents for drugs in                            pharamaceuticals; and (7) as catalysts in reaction engineering.                 Structural and geometric characteristics of the microparticles                  affect their usability in all cases.                                                                                                                            In suspension polymerization, reaction takes place in an organic                monomer phase which is suspended in an inorganic phase; usually                 water.  The product solid polymer precipitates out and contains                 small amounts (&lt;10%) of unreacted monomer.  The desired products                have controlled:  particle size distribution, shape, pore size                  distribution, molecular weight distribution and molecular weight                between crosslinks.  In this research the PI plans to do kinetic                modelling of batch suspension polymerizations of hydrophilic monomers.          Specifically, the work will include the following activities:                                                                                                   i.   development of the kinetic models applicable to the                             copolymerization/crosslinking reaction of a hydrophilic                         monomer with a crosslinking agent, both before and after the                    gelation point and until vitrification;                                    ii.  determination of the molecular weight distribution of the                       product before the gelation point as a function of the                          kinetic constants of the reactions and the feed ratio of the                    monomers;                                                                  iii. development of the models for reaction engineering in                           suspension polymerization in batch reactors;                               iv.  determination of the critical parameters that affect the                        particle size distribution in this type of suspension                           polymerizations;                                                           v.   conduct experiments of suspension polymerizations with 2-                       hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and ethylene glycol                            dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as a crosslinking agent and determination                on- or off-line of the particle and molecular weight                            distributions; and                                                         vi.  comparison of the predictions of the system equations with                      experimental results for EGDMA/HEMA batch suspension                            polymerizations.
{'FirstName': 'Nicholas', 'LastName': 'Peppas', 'PI_MID_INIT': 'A', 'PI_SUFX_NAME': None, 'PI_FULL_NAME': 'Nicholas A Peppas', 'EmailAddress': 'peppas@che.utexas.edu', 'NSF_ID': '000091343', 'StartDate': '04/01/1987', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}
{'Name': 'Purdue Research Foundation', 'CityName': 'WEST LAFAYETTE', 'ZipCode': '479064353', 'PhoneNumber': '3174946200', 'StreetAddress': '1281 WIN HENTSCHEL BLVD STE 2500', 'StreetAddress2': None, 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'Indiana', 'StateCode': 'IN', 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': '04', 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_ORG': 'IN04', 'ORG_UEI_NUM': 'C1G1LGYJF5G5', 'ORG_LGL_BUS_NAME': 'PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION', 'ORG_PRNT_UEI_NUM': 'YRXVL4JYCEF5'}
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[{'Code': '1403', 'Text': 'Proc Sys, Reac Eng & Mol Therm'}, {'Code': '9120', 'Text': 'CROSS-DIRECTORATE PROGRAMS'}, {'Code': '9145', 'Text': 'SPECIAL PROGRAMS-RESERVE'}]
{'url': 'https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/download?DownloadFileName=1986&All=true', 'xml': '8617719.xml'}