Time-resolved SAXS studies of the RAFT dispersion polymerisation of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate

We request three days of SAXS beamtime to perform time-resolved SAXS experiments during the RAFT dispersion polymerisation of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) in non-polar media. This is the key formulation for a BP-funded PhD studentship focused on the design of next-generation thermal management fluids. We will use SAXS to monitor the kinetics of polymerisation directly and to determine the local monomer concentration within the growing nanoparticles.