This group has a wide ranging interest in both the synthesis and applications of polymers. Our research interests include the synthesis of micelles using novel hydrophilic-hydrophilic diblock copolymers exhibiting stimuli-responsive behaviour, the synthesis of shell-cross-linked micelles using novel ABC triblock copolymers, and the synthesis of novel polymeric surfactants. The group also conducts research into the synthesis and characterisation of conducting polymers in the form of colloidal dispersions, nanocomposites, and core-shell micelles. Vinyl polymer-silica nanocomposites have also been extensively studied, based on the simple synthesis route to conducting polymer-silica nanocomposite particles discovered by this group.

The group has used a wide range of polymer synthesis techniques, including conventional free-radical polymerisation, living cationic polymerisation, group-transfer polymerisation, nitroxide-mediated polymerisation,atom transfer radical polymerisation (ATRP) and reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerisation.

Recent research highlights include the synthesis and aqueous self-assembly of a variety of amphiphilic block copolymers using RAFT and ATRP and the preparation of covalently cross-linked colloidosomes.

A picture gallery of some of the electron microscopy images obtained by past and present members is available here.

Dr. Kate Kirkham (nee Thompson) has just been awarded the inaugural Macro Group prize for the best PhD thesis in the field of polymer science in the UK.

Her thesis was entitled "Covalently Cross-linked Colloidosomes" and her PhD supervisor was Prof. Steve Armes, the Director of the Polymer Centre. Kate's PhD degree was part-sponsored by P & G (Newcastle),who provided a CASE award to match her EPSRC studentship. Her research studies involved the synthesis of novel well-defined hydrophilic macromonomers via ATRP, the evaluation of these macromonomers for the preparation of model sterically-stabilised latexes, the use of these latexes to prepare low polydisperisty Pickering emulsions and the covalent stabilisation of such emulsions to produce colloidosome microcapsules. Her results have been widely published in Macromolecules,Langmuir and Chemical Communications and some of her research samples have been further examined by scientists working at the University of Hull (UK), at McMaster University (Canada) and also at Newcastle University (Australia). These informal collaborations have produced three further joint papers in Langmuir, with a fourth manuscript currently in preparation.

After her PhD degree, Kate was awarded an EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellowship and she continues to work within the Department of Chemistry at the University of Sheffield. She is currently evaluating whether block copolymer vesicles can be used as Pickering emulsifiers. She will present an invited lecture discussing her PhD studies at a major international polymer chemistry conference to be held in July 2012 at the University of Warwick.