"My ultimate aim is the development of efficient and sustainable strategies for the synthesis of increasingly complex functional polymeric materials and to train the best possible polymer chemists."

Hans Heuts is Associate Professor in the Supramolecular Polymer Chemistry research group of Eindhoven University of Technology (department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry). He has over 25 years of experience in research and development in the polymer field, ranging from fundamental studies of polymerization mechanisms to polymer material science and process development.  His research interests include conventional and controlled radical polymerization in homogeneous and heterogeneous systems, controlled polymer synthesis in general, dynamic polymer networks, materials for 3D-printing, polymer mechanochemistry, and polymer reaction engineering.

Within the Supramolecular Polymer Chemistry research group he currently leads the research efforts in dynamic polymer networks and their use in a range of large-scale applications.  Dynamic polymer networks combine the benefits of greater thermal and dimensional stability of traditional polymer networks with the better (re)processability of thermoplastics.  This opens up applications such as self-healing materials, materials with a better adhesion and improves the recyclability of the materials.  In close collaboration with other academic and industrial partners the group is currently exploring the benefits of these advanced materials in 3D-printing.

Other active research activities lie in the field of emulsion polymerization with a focus on the synthesis of functional polymer colloids and the development of sustainable polymerization processes.

Hans Heuts studied chemical engineering at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and graduated cum laude in 1992.  He obtained his PhD from the University of Sydney (USyd) in 1997 under supervision of Bob Gilbert (USyd) and Leo Radom (Australian National University).  From 1997 to 1999, he worked as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) on the controlled polymerization of acrylic monomers.  After working as a process development engineer with GE Plastics (1999-2000), he returned to UNSW as a senior lecturer in the Centre for Advanced Macromolecular Design.  In 2003, he moved to the University of Murcia in Spain, as a Ramón y Cajál fellow. In November 2005, he moved to TU/e and first joined the Polymer Chemistry research group; mid 2014 he moved to the Supramolecular Polymer Chemistry group.

• • Eindhoven Polymer Laboratories

  • Brigthlands Materials Center

  • PTN - Onderzoeksschool Polymeren

  Partners in (semi-)industry

  • BMC

  • SABIC

  • DSM