Welcome
to the Diesendruck group at the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry!
For information, contact Dr. Charles Diesendruck at charles@technion.ac.il
to the Diesendruck group at the Schulich Faculty of Chemistry!
For information, contact Dr. Charles Diesendruck at charles@technion.ac.il
Mechanochemistry is the use of mechanical force to drive chemical reactions. Our group will study new chemical transformations that lead to change in materials properties, creating smart mechanoresponsive materials.
Scroll down to read about our projects!Mechanical forces in different polymer architectures In this project, we study the effect of mechanical force on breaking chemical bonds in polymers with different topologies. We design and prepare unique polymer chains in which forces can be directed to specific locations, leading to mechanochemical activation of desired bonds. Our polymers present extended longetivity as well as the ability to undergo mechanically triggered transformations.
Anion-exchange membranes for fuel cells Anion-exchange membrane fuel cells are one of the most promising technologies for the implementation of renewable energy resources in transportation. However, this technology is hampered by the anion-exchange membrane, which undergoes rapid chemical decomposition upon fuel cell operation. In this project, we study the causes for this chemical instability and develop solution which are judiciously designed for the unique environment of an operating alkaline fuel cell.
Fundamentals and applications of single-chain polymer nanoparticles Nature uses polymers (proteins, DNA etc) to create molecules with function and materials with unparalleled properties. While numerous polymer architectures have been developed, the topology chosen by Nature has not been significantly explored in synthetic polymers and plastics. This architecture is commonly known as single-chain polymer nanoparticles (SCNPs), and in this project, we dstudy the basic properties of single-molecules, solutions and materials made with SCNPs, as well as their effect on traditional polymers.
Development of new chemical transformations As curious chemists, developing new chemical transformations is always an interesting challenge. In this project we focus on troublesome or inaccessible chemical transformations without a specific target in mind and exploit the full power of different chemistries in order to develop new, simple chemical reactants and reactions.
contact: charles@technion.ac.il
Dr. Diesendruck received his B.Sc. in analytical and environmental chemistry from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. After serving in the army and working a few years at Chemada Fine Chemicals, he returned to BGU to complete a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in organometallic chemistry with Prof. N. Gabriel Lemcoff.
Dr. Diesendruck was a postdoctoral fellow in materials chemistry at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, working at the Autonomous Materials Systems group with Prof. Jeffrey S. Moore.