Dr. Joost Brancart

In 2017 Joost Brancart obtained his PhD degree at the Physical Chemistry and Polymer Science (FYSC) research group of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). He developed expertise in the preparation and study of reversible covalent polymer network systems. The reversible network formation can be activated by means of a thermal stimulus for networks crosslinked using the thermoreversible Diels-Alder reaction or by means of a light stimulus for networks crosslinked using the photoreversible anthracene dimerization reaction. These stimuli-responsive materials find applications as self-healing materials, for reversible adhesion and in advanced processing techniques that are otherwise not available to covalent polymer networks, e.g. additive manufacturing.
Joost is now active as a postdoctoral researcher, currently affiliated to the FWO. He supervises and guides PhD students and master thesis students in topics related to reversible polymerization and stimuli-responsive materials for various applications (self-healing coatings for corrosion protection, self-healing robotic actuators, deformation and damage sensing, adaptable/transformable structures ...). In his personal research ihe studies the influence of filler materials on the properties of the developed reversible polymer network composites to create electrically conductive reversible networks, among other.
Joost has also been actively involved in teaching with activities in BA1 chemistry and BA2 thermodynamics courses during his PhD and involvement in MA1 Polymer Materials courses during his postdoc.
Selected Projects

Soft Self-responsive Smart MAterials for RoboTs
The SMART Innovative Training Network is a joint venture between academia and industry, providing scientific and personal development of young researchers in the multidisciplinary fields of soft robotics and smart materials. SMART will realize the technologically and scientifically ambitious breakthroughs to exploit smart, stimuli-responsive material systems for actuation, sensing and ...

Chemitecture
Digital materials for a personalized world Using smart CHEMIstry and additive manufacturing approaches for creating polymeric archiTECTURES to reach a new level/dimension in tailored material design and function

Self-Healing Robotics
The SHERO project is funded under the Future and Emerging Technologies (FET) programme of the European Commission (grant agreement ID 828818). The radical vision of the SHERO project is the ambitious development of fully-autonomous self-healing soft robotic devices, by integrating engineered functional materials, smart sensing and active actuation and control capabilities into soft robots.
PolyFlam: Polyol-based Flame Retardants and Lubricants
The PolyFlam VLAIO ICON project will investigate new, greener synthesis routes for polyols (KU Leuven & Oleon) and the functionalization thereof by esterification and phosphorylation (UGent) for several different applications. The degradation kinetics and flame retardant properties of the synthesized phosphorylated polyols will be investigated (VUB) in close collaboration with industrial partners ...

AMSeR: Additive Manufacturing of Self-Healing Robotics
The possibility to use additive manufacturing techniques for advanced processing of reversible polymer networks is explored in a collaborative FWO SBO project between VUB and KU Leuven. The FYSC research group focuses on the use of the fused filament fabrication method for 3D printing of soft actuators and sensors in a close collaboration with the R&MM robotics research group at VUB. At the SMaRT ...

Self-healing Actuators for Robotic Applications
The doctoral project is a multidisciplinary research on the implementation of available self-healing (SH) materials in compliant actuators, specic for robotic applications. The project will be conducted on the University of Brussels (VUB) at the research group Robotics and Multibody Mechanics (R&MM) and with a strong involvement of the Physical Chemistry and Polymer Science (FYSC) research ...

Self-healing polymer networks based on thermoreversible covalent bonding
A new class of polymeric materials has been developped by introducing reversible covalent bonds into covalently cross-linked polymer network systems, resulting in reversible covalent polymer network systems (RCPNS). In this project the reversible covalent bonds are thermally reversible bonds, e.g. by means of the Diels-Alder reaction between furan and maleimide function groups. Polymer ...
Towards dynamic preventive self-restoring of thin films based on photo-reversible covalent networks
The objective of this project is the synthesis, characterization, and optimization of novel thin cross-linked polymer films with multiple reversible covalent bonds. Such films could find application as a sustainable self-restoring alternative for regular surface coatings prone to fatigue- and micro damage, thus reducing the use of raw materials and the emission of harmful components into the ...
Selected Publications
Courses

Thermodynamics
Thermodynamics for bachelor students in Engineering

Polymer Materials
Course in polymer science. Structure-property relations in polymers.