Reactions of short-lived radicals in polymerization and biology

Abstract:
Short-lived radicals are present in numerous technological and biological processes. The lecture will give an overview how radicals can be detected on the nanosecond time scale. It will be shown which reactions can be observed in a radical polymerization and within the activity of antioxidants, e.g. polyphenols.

Prof. G. Gescheidt studied Chemistry at the Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg im Breisgau (Germany), where he obtained his diploma in 1984. Then he moved to the University of Basel where he accomplished his PhD thesis with F. Gerson (1988) and later (1996) obtained his habilitation. There he founded his own research group and, from 1999 to 2003, substituted a chair in physical chemistry. In 2003 he accepted the current position at TU Graz.

Due to his main topic „Structure and reactivity of paramagnetic systems in chemistry, life science and technology“ his activities involve spectroscopic (namely EPR), photochemical and electrochemical research of organic, organometallic and coordination compounds, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), dyes etc. Computations based on theoretical models and methods are exploited to predict and rationalize the experimental results.