With my background in organ-functionalized silicone polymers, there is a vast amount of chemical space to explore with current research, and experimentation focused on single iteration experiments. There are a lot of “novel” silicone polymers that have been made in the >75 year history of pdms modification. This is technology that was developed by Dow Corning during WWII, and has been widely used in industrial, medical, and personal care industries.
This is due to some key chemical features such as
- Chemical Inertness: PDMS is highly resistant to chemical reactions, making it useful in various chemical processes and as a protective coating.
- Flexibility and Elasticity: The polymer’s flexibility allows it to be used in applications where movement or deformation is required.
- Biocompatibility: PDMS is compatible with biological tissues, making it ideal for medical implants and devices.
- Transparency: Its optical clarity (highly dependant on purity of raw materials and manufacturing conditions) is beneficial in microfluidic and optical applications.
I am looking for help with the design of a MVL (minimum viable lab) both hardware and software.
Key requirements:
Preparation
- liquid dispensing (solvent, reagents, and catalysts)
- weighing
- Moisture testing (Karl-fischer)
Synthesis - mixing (~45 - 60rpm)
- heat tolerant containers from 10C - 220C
- IR spectral analysis
Workup
- N2 purge, vacuum
- filtration
Characterization
- GPC
- IR
- Viscosity
- series of chemical property testing which likely requires additional chemical reactions (i.e., cloud point, hydroxyl value)
Undoubtedly missing many items, but this these would be critical.
Looking for partners to help build this system, and tell me what I am missing.
Specifically need help with the bays-op prep for reaction prediction