Sustainable polymer materials.

Sustainable polymers need to do more than come from renewable sources or degrade at the end of their life. They also need to deliver the performance required for their intended application. We investigate how monomer choice, polymer structure and processing influence properties such as mechanical strength, barrier performance and degradation behaviour, with the aim of designing materials that balance sustainability with practical function.

Making the connection

We combine polymer synthesis with systematic materials processing and quantitative property testing to understand how molecular design translates into performance. Our work spans monomer and polymer design, controlled polymerisation, film and material preparation, mechanical and barrier testing, and studies of hydrolytic and enzymatic degradation. By linking composition, structure and processing history to measurable properties, we can identify the design rules needed to develop more sustainable materials without compromising function.