24032023 1679656964

This thesis presents a proof of concept of self-regulating mechanism by a heterogeneous catalyst in combination with stimuli responsive polymer. These polymers have the unique ability to reversibly change conformation from a swollen to a collapsed state in response to an environmental stimulus (e.g. temperature or pH). The conformation change of the polymer could allow to locally adjust the molecular diffusion of reactants, thereby changing the catalytic activity autonomously. Since the reaction will be intrinsically manipulated, implementing this concept to industrial processes will potentially alleviate the need for using external measures to control the reaction rate, such as passive cooling or using inert dilutants.

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