Polymer Chemistry & Biomaterials

Title / Name: Prof. Dr. Renzo A. Raso
Function: Group Leader Polymer Chemistry and Biomaterials
Activities: Coordination and Supervision of Research Projects, Grant and Project Acquisition, Research activity between industry and academia, innovation driver for industrial applications (IP), Publication of scientific results.
Lecturer on Bachelor and Master Level: Polymers and Soft Material; Spectroscopy I; Spectroscopy III; Microscopy and Imaging Techniques; Introduction to analytical and separation methods for chemists and for biosciences; Surface characterization techniques, Nanomaterials in life sciences
Experience fields: polymer chemistry, surface chemistry, analytical science, Infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, AFM, electron microscopy, chemical product design, chemical synthesis, textile finishing, chemical product formulation, analytical method development, consultancy
ORCID: link will follow shortly

Title / Name: Mr. Marcus Waser
Function: Senior Research Associate
Activity/Project: Leading and supervision of R&D projects, Students supervision, polymer synthesis practicum, coworker-training, training of student in polymer synthesis and characterization
Experience fields: polymer chemistry, surface chemistry, analytical science, Infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, AFM, electron microscopy, DLS, SEC-MALS, Laser Diffraction, DSC, TGA

Title / Name: Mr. Theodor Bühler
Function: Senior Research Associate
Activity/Project: Leading and supervision of R&D projects, Students supervision, polymer synthesis practicum, coworker-training, Internship for students in nano technology, polymer chemistry and surface imaging. Find and correct errors in processes and materials. Interdisciplinary collaboration. Pass on knowledge and experience
Experience fields: polymer chemistry, surface chemistry, analytical science, Infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, AFM, electron microscopy, micro-CT, Confocal laser scanning Mi-croscopy, Fluorescence microscopy, Confocal Imaging, Surface wettability, DSC, TGA

Title / Name: Dr. Abhijna Das
Function: Research Associate/Project Leader
Activity/Project: Project planning, Project acquisition, Project management, identifying key IP elements within the project, writing manuscripts, presenting results, writing project reports/deliverables, designing experiments (DoE, OVAT), managing Bachelor and Master students, and Expertise in AFM, SEM, CVD, OM, CLSM, contact angle, Ellipsometry, and BAM
Experience fields: Interdisciplinary polymer physicist initially trained as a chemical engineer at a leading institute in India, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati. Through master project work dealing with defect-directed dewetting of ultra-thin polymer films (< 15 nm) and courses with supervisor Prof. Dr. Dipankar Bandyopadhyay, realized an interest in thin films, surfaces, interfaces, biomimetics, and polymers. After a brief stint at a leading semiconductor defect detection company gaining experience in IC manufacturing process, defects during IC fabrication, SEM, and DF, joined the University of Freiburg as a doctoral student in the distinguished Experimental Polymer Physics Group of Prof. Dr. Günter Reiter gaining an in-depth understanding of polymer physics, self-assembly at interfaces, phase transitions, fundamental aspects of polymer crystallization, polymer fibres, and increased expertise in techniques such as AFM, OM, BAM, Langmuir-Blodgett Trough, and ellipsometry. As a next step, joined the application-oriented Group of Prof. Dr. Renzo Raso to make real-world impact in graphene-based membranes, environmentally sustainable textile formulations, and polymer chemistry. Having worked on project HiPoGraph, demonstrated expertise in gra-phene synthesis (optimized synthesis parameters), characterization (AFM, SEM, IR, and Raman), delamination (electrochemical), and various modification strategies of chemical vapor-deposited porous graphene surfaces for membrane applications. Currently working on identifying novel and innovative strategies to replace harmful PFAs from oil-repellent formulations for textile applications within the project FFORTESS.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2887-4589

Title / Name: Dr. Junggou Kwon
Function: Research Associate/Project Leader
Activity/Project: FFORTESS – Fluorine Free Omniphobic Roughness Tailored Extended Slippery Surfaces (Grant Nr.: 105.146.1 IP-ENG)
Experience fields: Inorganic material synthesis, surface chemistry, photocatalysts, water and oil repellent textile, textile applications and finishing material analysis, XPS, SEM, Chemical Product formulation

Title / Name: Mr. Emilio Cocozza
Function: Research Assistant of M. Waser
Activity/Project: Synthesis and characterization of stimuli responsive hydrogels blocks and emulsion for therapeutic applications
Experience fields: Polymer synthesis, DSC, TGA, DLS, NMR

Title / Name: Mrs. Mirjam Schaffner
Function: Research Assistant of A. Das
Activity/Project: Repellent Surfaces
Experience fields: Analytical chemistry, polymer chemistry, nano fabrication, nanoparticle synthesis and modification

Title / Name: Mr. Leo Krummenacher
Function: Research Assistant of A. Das
Activity/Project: Repellent Surfaces
Experience fields: Analytical chemistry, polymer chemistry, nano fabrication, nanoparticle synthesis and modification

Name: Mrs Giulia Venuti, B.Sc.
Partner institution: Università degli Studi die Bologna (UniBo), Italy
Activity/Project: Master Thesis / Investigations on the oxidation pathway of 5-HMF to FDCA

Name: Mr Julien Meder
Activity/Project: Bachelor Thesis / Synthesis of Double- Sided Highly Porous Graphene ASEIs

Name: Mr. Anton Lavrentyev
Activity/Project: Bachelor Thesis / In situ ATR-IR spectroscopy of aqueous oxidation processes

Name: Mrs Laura Martinez
Activity/Project: Bachelor Thesis / Sustainable dye transfer inhibitors (external)

Name: Mrs Ladina Miller, B.Sc.
Activity/Project: Master Thesis / Porous Graphene as Artificial Solid Electrolyte Interphase in Anode-Free Lithium-Metal Batteries (external)

Name: Mrs. Kavya Pramod
Activity/Project: Internship/Repellent Surfaces

Name: Dr. Kyoungjun Choi
Former Institution: ETH Zürich, FHNW
Function: Post Doc
Activity/Project: Swiss HIPOGRAPH: Development of a highly porous graphene based com-posite membrane for waterproof breathable applications Acronym: Swiss HIPOGRAPH (Grant Nr.: 45921.1 IP-ENG)
Left to: HeiQ Materiasl AG

Name: Ariadna Pujolar
Former institution: Universiat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB), Spain
Function: Exchange student Master Level
Activity/Project: Synthesis of functional silica nanoparticles or repellence of liquids
Left to: UAB