Damien S Guironnet

Dr. Damien S Guironnet serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Grainger College of Engineering, holding the James W. Westwater Professorial Scholar title. His research develops atom- and energy-efficient catalytic processes for sustainable polymer synthesis, bridging homogeneous catalysis with industrial applications.

Education

• Postdoctoral Research, University of North Carolina (2009-2011)
• Ph.D. in Chemistry, University of Constance, Germany (2009)
• M.S. in Chemical Engineering, Ecole Nationale Supérieur de Chimie de Mulhouse, France (2005)

Guironnet's work integrates polymer science and catalysis to address sustainability challenges. Key research areas include catalytic depolymerization for plastic recycling (focusing on PET and bio-based polymers like lignin), insertion polymerization of polar monomers to replace energy-intensive processes, and synthesis of telechelic/block-copolymers for advanced materials. His group emphasizes green chemistry principles and industrial viability.

Recent publications reveal strong trends in homogeneous catalysis for sustainable polymer production, with advancements in ring-opening metathesis kinetics, aqueous-phase polymerization systems, and precision control of polymer architectures. The work spans fundamental mechanistic studies to applications in recyclable materials and bio-based feedstocks.

Scientific Awards

• Young Investigator Award, ACS Division of Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering (2019)
• School of Chemical Sciences Teaching Award (2015-2016)

Guironnet mentors graduate students in his inclusive research group, emphasizing diversity in training and culture as strengths. His projects receive support from federal agencies and industry partnerships, though specific grants aren't detailed in the source material. The Guironnet Lab operates as a collaborative team tackling challenges in catalytic depolymerization, polar monomer polymerization, and advanced polymer architectures for sustainable materials.