P3R team
Created in 2007, the “Precision polymers by radical processes” group (P3R) is composed of organic and polymer chemists who develop original polymer materials using radical chemistry.
P3R has a longstanding experience in reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerisation. This includes the study of the structure-reactivity relationship of original classes of RAFT agents, RAFT control of “tricky” monomers, and the synthesis of functional block copolymers with targeted properties.
In recent years, we made a clear shift in the way we design our polymers towards materials of enhanced sustainability. For instance, new methodologies for making (chemically) degradable polymers by radical ring-opening copolymerization have been successfully developed.
Another recent strategic area is the design of dynamic polymer materials, in particular nanostructured vitrimers and carbon-fiber reinforced vitrimer materials for the aerospace sector.
We attach particular attention to the exploitation of our research results through a large number of patent applications with some examples of commercial success in collaboration with industrial partners.
Research topics
Team members
permanent members
temporary members on average per year
Team publications
This list of publications is uploaded directly from the P3R team’s HAL collection.
- Clémence Nadal, Olivier Coutelier, Sandrine Cavalie, Valérie Flaud, Jérémy Soulié, et al.. Polymer/silica core–shell nanoparticles with temperature-dependent stability properties. European Polymer Journal, 2022, 168, pp.111104. ⟨10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2022.111104⟩. ⟨hal-03656287⟩
- Fang Yin, Hong Hanh Nguyen, Olivier Coutelier, Mathias Destarac, Nancy Lauth-de Viguerie, et al.. Effect of copolymer composition of controlled (N-vinylcaprolactam/N-vinylpyrrolidone) statistical copolymers on formation, stabilization, thermoresponsiveness and catalytic properties of gold nanoparticles. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 2021, 630, pp.127611. ⟨10.1016/j.colsurfa.2021.127611⟩. ⟨hal-03413835⟩
- Yann Spiesschaert, Jens Danneels, Niels van Herck, Marc Guerre, Guillaume Acke, et al.. Polyaddition Synthesis Using Alkyne Esters for the Design of Vinylogous Urethane Vitrimers. Macromolecules, 2021, 54 (17), pp.7931-7942. ⟨10.1021/acs.macromol.1c01049⟩. ⟨hal-03347163⟩
- Marc Guerre, Gérald Lopez, Bruno Ameduri, M. Semsarilar, Vincent Ladmiral. Solution self-assembly of fluorinated polymers, an overview. Polymer Chemistry, 2021, 12 (27), pp.3852-3877. ⟨10.1039/D1PY00221J⟩. ⟨hal-03377919v2⟩
- E. Read, Barbara Lonetti, Stéphane Gineste, A.T. Sutton, E. Di Cola, et al.. Mechanistic insights into the formation of polyion complex aggregates from cationic thermoresponsive diblock copolymers. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2021, 590, pp.268-276. ⟨10.1016/j.jcis.2021.01.028⟩. ⟨hal-03130969⟩
- Olivier Coutelier, Issam Blidi, Mathias Destarac. Xanthate-derived mercaptophosphonates for thiol-ene modification of styrene-butadiene rubber. European Polymer Journal, 2021, 151, pp.110419. ⟨10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2021.110419⟩. ⟨hal-03240506⟩
- Oleksandr Ivanchenko, Ugo Authesserre, Guilhem Coste, Stéphane Mazières, Mathias Destarac, et al.. ε-Thionocaprolactone: an accessible monomer for preparation of degradable poly(vinyl esters) by radical ring-opening polymerization. Polymer Chemistry, 2021, 12 (13), pp.1931-1938. ⟨10.1039/D1PY00080B⟩. ⟨hal-03211731⟩
- Vincent Bouad, Marc Guerre, Cédric Totée, Gilles Silly, Olinda Gimello, et al.. RAFT Polymerisation of Trifluoroethylene: The importance of understanding reverse additions. Polymer Chemistry, 2021, 12 (15), pp.2271-2281. ⟨10.1039/d0py01754j⟩. ⟨hal-03182909⟩
- Christian Taplan, Marc Guerre, Christopher N. Bowman, Filip Du Prez. Surface Modification of (Non)‐Fluorinated Vitrimers through Dynamic Transamination. Macromolecular Rapid Communications, 2021, 42 (7), pp.2000644. ⟨10.1002/marc.202000644⟩. ⟨hal-03093836⟩
- Andrii Karpus, Simon Harrisson, Rinaldo Poli, Stéphane Mazières, Eric Manoury, et al.. Well-Defined P III -Terminated Polymers from Phosphorylated Carbodithioate RAFT Agents. Macromolecules, 2021, 54 (6), pp.2627-2636. ⟨10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02805⟩. ⟨hal-03200586⟩
Latest team news
Recyclable plastics “on demand”
In the 2010s, covalent adaptable networks (CANs) emerged as a new class of plastic materials designed to combine recyclability with high mechanical performance. Researchers from the P3R team at...
Joséphine de Calbiac, PhD student at Softmat, defended her thesis on vitrimer matrix composites for space applications
Joséphine carried out her research in the P3R team at the Softmat laboratory, in close collaboration with Cnes and IRT Saint Exupéry. On 5th of December, she defended her thesis entitled: "Vitrimer...
A radical-based new approach to high-performance recyclable plastics
Researchers from the P3R team at Softmat have developed new vitrimers by developing heat-activated radical chemistry. This novel approach gives these materials, which are resistant, repairable and...





