The Polymer IRC

The Polymer IRC) brings together scientists from the Universities of Bradford, Durham, Leeds and the Sheffield Polymer Centre to form one of the largest groupings of Polymer Specialists in Europe.

With over one hundred full time academic research staff, the IRC has the strength in depth required to tackle the largest problems in polymer science. The scale of the IRC has given us the resources to develop purpose built facilities, and provide our staff with the tools necessary to carry out research to the highest standards.

Key areas of scientific and technical strength offered by the IRC:

1. Polymer Synthesis

Synthetic expertise within the IRC is very strong, permitting almost limitless access to complex functional macromolecules and materials. Recent developments in synthetic techniques include the development of:

• Next generation branched structures with macromolecular spacers between branch points, yielding novel hyperbranched polymers (HyperMacs) and dendrimers (DendriMacs). These give access to a new range of responsive polymers and side step the steric crowding problems of conventional dendrimers.
• Smart polymers for emulsion control
• Patterned polymer particles with high target molecule specificity.
• Highly porous polymers with controlled void sizes (PolyHIPEs).

2. Materials science and characterisation

The ability to accurately evaluate the relevant chemical, physical and biological properties of materials underpins all of the scientific programmes undertaken by the Polymer IRC. There is considerable expertise in morphology studies - by microscopy (optical, electron and atomic force and related technologies) or scattering technologies using local, national or international facilities (ISIS and the ESRF).

3. Engineering

Engineers contribute core expertise in conventional polymer processing, micromoulding and manufacture. Additionally they have developed scaled engineering solutions to processing new polymers, and processing polymers in novel environments (such as within synchrotron facilities).

4. Theory and modelling

A graphical representation flow during an extrusion process, predicted using 'flowSolve' software developed in the IRC
Over the last fifteen years, staff at the Polymer IRC have been responsible for developing many of the modelling and theoretical tools now used in industry and academia. New applications and developments continue apace, including:

• The rheological properties of polymeric fluids can now be modelled quantitatively as a function of their molecular architecture and weight distribution. This work is now applied to design die geometries, optimise new resin formulations and predict and control frozen in stress.
• Mapping molecular structure using SANS, permits polymer chain orientation to be measured through a process geometry.
• Molecular simulation is increasingly important to predict the structures of macromolecules with novel hyperbranched architectures.
• Advanced reaction modelling techniques are increasingly able to model the emergence of morphology in multiphase systems.

Contact:

The Polymer IRC
T: +44 (0)113 34 33810