Soft Matter Materials Laboratory - Shining Light on Soft Matter

Established in 2008, and now calling Brisbane home, the MACROARC lab houses over 40 active researchers in the field of synthetic and physical polymer material science.

Latest News

May
2022

Congratulations to Jessica!

Congratulations to our latest PhD graduate Jessica! Well done, we are very proud of you!

Apr
2022

Congratulations to Leona!

Congratulations to our latest PhD graduate Leona! Well done, we are very proud of you!

Apr
2022

Congratulations to Daniel!

Congratulations to Daniel on his final PhD seminar. Very well done!

Members

Come meet our team!

Members

Come meet our team!

Find Out More

Research

Have a closer look at our research.

Research

Have a closer look at our research.

Find Out More

Publications

See our latest work & publications.

Publications

See our latest work & publications.

Find Out More

Our Mission

The Soft Matter Materials Laboratory at QUT is situated at the interface of organic, macromolecular and materials science. We focus on a wide range of interdisciplinary, polymer-related research including but not limited to:

The synthesis of complex macromolecular architectures with highly-defined functionality and composition via advanced polymerisation protocols
Synthesis via polymer conjugation techniques and macromolecular transformations at ambient temperature with a particular emphasis on light driven chemical transformations
Fundamental investigations into polymerisation mechanisms and kinetics as well as high resolution imaging and characterisation of macromolecular chain structures

The real world applications of these fundamental investigations span a number of fields, from use as inks and photoresists in 3D printing and lithography to precisely folded single strand polymers for catalysis and biomimetic applications and everything in between.

Latest Publications

719

Photoswitchable Block Copolymers Based on Main Chain α-Bisimines

718

Visible Light Switchable Single Chain Nanoparticles

717

Light- and Mechanic Field Controlled Dynamic Soft Matter Materials

716

Near Infrared Light Induced Radical Polymerization in Water

Members

Distinguished Prof. Christopher Barner-Kowollik

ARC Laureate Fellow, Deputy Vice Chancellor Research (DVCR) and Vice President

View Full Bio

A/Prof. James Blinco

Head of the Soft Matter Materials Laboratory, Associate Professor

View Full Bio

Dr. Hendrik Frisch

DECRA Fellow

View Full Bio

Dr. Bryan Tuten

DECRA Fellow

View Full Bio

Christopher Synatschke

Universität Bayreuth, Germany, 08/08 – 09/08

View Full Bio

Bart Dervaux

Ghent University, Belgium, 11/08 – 12/08

View Full Bio

Edgar Espinosa

CNRS Lyon, France, 02/10

View Full Bio

Kristian Kempe

Universität Jena, Germany, 06/10

View Full Bio

We’ve partnered with 156 institutions & 26 countries.

Tweets

Macroarc @barnerkowollik ·

10 Aug

Low Energy Kick-off: Au-Nanorod mediated initiation of free-radical polymerization by infra-red light @angew_chem https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.202209177 Well done, Philipp and Josh! Excellent collaboration with Andreas Unterreiner @KITKarlsruhe @swaldenwebb and Esa Jaatinen @QUT @QUTmaterials

Macroarc @barnerkowollik ·

8 Aug

Our latest in using dual stimuli control of chemical reaction pathways is out in @PolymChem, using light and mechanical fields to control polymer end group chemistry https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2022/py/d2py00892k Excellent collaboration with @VinhXTruong @QUT @QUTmaterials @KITKarlsruhe

Macroarc @barnerkowollik ·

3 Aug

...and the Lord of the Boxing Rings strikes once again with beautiful work on visible light degradable photoresists for 3D laser lithography https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.202203474 Well done, Marvin, and thank you for the outstanding collaboration @VinhXTruong @QUTmaterials @QUT @Cluster3DMM2O

Shining Light on Soft Materials

Whether you are a prospective group member, collaborator or just interested in seeing some cool science, please enjoy exploring our website.

The Soft Matter Materials Laboratory together with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) are proud to support our students and staff who identify as lesbian; gay; bisexual; transgender; intersex; queer or questioning; asexual, agender or aromantic; and those with other diverse genders and sexualities (LGBTIQA+).

The Soft Matter Materials Laboratory together with the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) acknowledge the Turrbal and Yugara as the First Nations owners of the lands where QUT now stands. We pay respect to their Elders, lores, customs and creation spirits. We recognise that these lands have always been places of teaching, research and learning. QUT acknowledges the important role Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people play within the QUT community.