They said it couldn’t be done. And that’s what really motivated UD polymer chemist Chris Snively and Jochen Lauterbach, professor of chemical engineering at UD. For years, polymer chemistry textbooks have stated that a whole class of little molecules called 1,2-disubstituted ethylenes could not be transformed into polymers--the stuff of which plastics and other materials are made. However, the UD scientists were determined to prove the textbooks wrong. As a result of their persistence, the researchers have discovered a new class of ultra-thin polymer films with potential applications ranging from coating tiny microelectronic devices to plastic solar cells.>>> Discuss This Story
