Close-up of two interlocking, worn metal gears.

Projects

COIN includes seven sub-projects in four areas (synthesis, properties, processing, cross-section).
Close-up of two interlocking, worn metal gears.
Image: Bild von Peter H from Pixabay

The application of computer science and robotics in polymer research is currently still very limited. However, these technologies offer enormous potential to gain a deeper scientific understanding of polymers and to identify novel combinations of properties. At the same time, the targeted development of copolymers for new applications will be significantly simplified and the speed of research can be considerably increased.

In the research training group, GRK 3040, COIN, computer science as well as robotic methods are to be developed and further optimized so that they can be applied in polymer research and particularly for copolymers. Their application will enable a targeted combination of synthesis, processing and properties of copolymers. In order to achieve this goal, expertise from the fields of synthesis, analytics, polymer chemistry, theoretical chemistry, engineering, computer science and robotics are combined.

This goal is being pursued in 7 subprojects within COIN, which are divided into four areas:

  • Area A – Synthesis: This area focuses on the application of modern synthesis methods, in particular robotics, to understand the synthesis of copolymers in detail.
  • Area B – Characterization and properties: The focus is on the properties of copolymers and their investigation.
  • Area C – Processing and application: The processing of copolymers using different methods provides important information on the influence of the conditions on the properties of the materials.
  • Area Q – Crossectional area: One project focuses on the application of large language models for the investigation of copolymers.

Area A:

  • Project A1

    Development of a safe and efficient human-robot interaction in chemical laboratories

    Automated platform for robot-based synthesis
    Image: Michael Ringleb, Dr. Timo Koswig

  • Project A2

    Investigation of the copolymerization by combining experimental high-throughput and theoretical approaches

    Robot for the high-throughput synthesis of polymers
    Image: Anna Schroll

Area B:

  • Project B1

    Creation of copolymer libraries and characterization databases by a design of experiment (DoE) approach for polymer synthesis

    Polymer solutions for a systematic variation of properties
    Image: Michael Ringleb

  • Project B2

    Combined theoretical and experimental approaches for tailoring the hydrolysis rate of copolyesters

    Concept for the optimization of the hydrolysis kinetics of copolyesters
    Picture: Dr. Eva von Domaros, Prof. Dr. Seema Agarwal

Area C:

  • Project C1

    Small-scale processing and characterization of application relevant properties of copolymer blends with machine-learning and Semantic Web Technologies

    Machine for the processing of polymers
    Image: Prof. Dr. Volker Altstädt

  • Project C2

    Copolymer blends processing and inline monitoring to enable computational modeling of the structure-process-property-relationships

    Concept for the prediction of structure-process-property relationships
    Picture: Dr. Rodrigo Albuquerque, Jun.-Prof. Dr. Christopher Künneth

Area Q:

  • Project Q1

    Foundation models for copolymer data

    Concept for the application of data science for copolymers
    Picture: Dr. Kevin M. Jablonka