Syrris, a world leader in flow chemistry, is helping to support research into process optimization for styrene polymerization.

Syrris, a world leader in flow chemistry, is helping to support research into process optimization for styrene polymerization. The availability of lower cost packaging materials in the market has driven research into more efficient production methods - supported by fast screening of reaction parameters - to achieve higher monomer to polymer conversion rates. Professor Ardson dos Santos Vianna, from the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of São Paulo, said: "I have been working in flow chemistry for the past five years, studying solution and emulsion polymerization and enzymatic degradation. My goal is to study fluid dynamics and develop 3D computational models to predict the molecular weight distribution and improve polymerization efficiency."

"Previously, I worked with a homemade continuous flow set-up. I already had a long-standing relationship with Syrris, and it made sense to turn to the company for assistance. When I saw the Asia platform, it was clear that the equipment was well constructed and a better fit for my research than other alternatives on the market, which led me to purchase a system with both a 250 ml microfluidics chip and a 4 ml tubular reactor. This has been critical to my current research, which explores the complexity involved in optimizing various parameters, such as temperature, concentration, residence time and initiator mass. The system is easy to use, and I appreciate its modular design, which will allow me to easily upgrade in the future."