The scientific research objectives from the Warwick Polymer Group are set out following a holistic approach and involve five key research grand challenges:
End-of-life (chemical, biodegradable and mechanical recycling)
We are a diverse and vibrant interdisciplinary community . Expertise spans polymer synthesis, characterisation, modelling, and processing; sustainable, green, and bio(mimetic) science; digital technologies; net-zero manufacturing; colloids and soft matter; elastomers; (nano)composites; enzymatic and biodegradation; plastic waste and recycling; microplastics; agricultural and environmental impacts; sustainable business models; social justice, political, and socio-economic impacts.
From developing greener materials and processes to growing more sustainable supply chains, a new £13.6 million research hub, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), will help researchers at the University of Warwick tackle some of the UK’s biggest manufacturing challenges.
Prof. Dave Haddleton’s spin-out company, Medherant, is utilizing unique polymer science in its first-of-its-kind testosterone patch for women, which is currently in clinical trials and is expected to be on the market by 2028.
Scaling up a deep tech chemistry idea can be fraught with difficulty. Interface Polymers Ltd., a spin-out company from prof. Peter Scott at Warwick Chemistry, found a unique route to scale their technology, which provides solutions for plastic recyclability and the adhesion of materials. This has benefits like reducing material waste and increasing the electrification of vehicles. Find out more about this technology and their thoughts on the support for chemistry start-ups in the UK.
