UK Polymer Colloids Forum

Prof. Steven P. Armes

Professor in Polymer / Colloid Chemistry

University of Sheffield
Department of Chemistry
Dainton Building
Brook Hill
Sheffield
S3 7HF
United Kingdom

Tel: + 44 (0)114 222 9342
Fax: + 44 (0)114 222 9346
e-mail: S.P.Armes@sheffield.ac.uk
www: http://www.sheffield.ac.uk/armes

Polymer Colloids Research Interests and Expertise

Water-soluble polymers

• Synthesis of ionic and non-ionic water-soluble block copolymers of narrow molecular weight distribution and well-defined copolymer architecture
• Temperature-, pH- and salt-induced micellization of these copolymers in aqueous solution

Synthesis of speciality colloids

• Shell cross-linked micelles
• Vinyl polymer-silica colloidal nanocomposites
• Schizophrenic AB diblock copolymers (which are capable of forming both micelles and reverse micelles in aqueous media)
• Design, synthesis and evaluation of new stimulus-responsive particulate emulsifiers (Pickering emulsifiers)
• Synthesis of novel macromonomers for syntheses of sterically stabilized latexes
• Evaluation of novel steric stabilizers, emulsifiers in collaboration with industrial sponsors
• pH-responsive microgels

Latex stabilised foams

Conducting polymer colloids.

• Polyaniline-silica and polypyrrole-silica nanocomposite particles
• Polystyrene-polypyrrole and polystyrene-polyaniline core-shell latexes
• Sterically stabilized conducting polymer particles using tailor-made reactive copolymers
• Surface characterization of these particles using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

 

Facilities Available

Zeta potential measurements	Transmission electron microscopy
Disc centrifuge photosedimentometry	Scanning electron microscopy
GPC (THF and aqueous eluents)	NMR spectroscopy (up to 500 MHz & solid-state)
Photon correlation spectroscopy	Malvern Mastersizer 2000
Surface tensiometry	Thermogravimetry
Helium pycnometry	X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy