Queensland University of Technology
Research Field: Polymer and Organic Chemistry
Dr Blinco is an organic chemist focused on the synthesis and characterisation of complex macromolecules (polymers) with research spanning both fundamental and applied organic polymer science.
The research that he is undertaking has been underpinned by a strong background in free radical, electro- and photo-chemistry. During his career, he has synthesized numerous novel (including an entirely new class of) nitroxide free radicals, reactive nitrogen containing heterocyles (such as tetrazoles, pyrazolines, piperidines, isoindolines and azirines) and polymeric and surface grafted analogues. Many of these molecules are bench stable under ambient conditions but become reactive upon exposure to an external stimuli such as light or electrical current. Utilising these physical stimuli to trigger chemical reactions has allowed translation of these molecules into many applications including as fluorescent sensors of redox change and/or radical generation within environmental, biological and materials systems, as redox-active polymers for next generation energy storage and as useful synthetic intermediates for access to complex polymer structures through only exposure to visible light.
The broad nature of applications of these molecules has also demonstrated my ability to collaborate across many scientific boundaries to achieve specific outcomes – a very important skill with the trans-disciplinary nature of today’s research.