The central theme of our research is controlled polymerisation to give macromolecules of designed, desired and targeted structure. Work is directed to the synthesis of polymers one monomer at a time in an attempt to approach the degree of sophistication exhibited by natural polymers. An overriding aspect of all of our work is the desire to use environmentally friendly processes which are viable on the commercial scale.

Work is carried out to use existing polymerisation methodology to build polymers of specific geometry whilst attempting to understand the mechanisms of polymerisation. We currently have projects to synthesise block copolymers, star copolymers and dendrimers. We firmly believe that in order to fully utilise a polymerisation system we must fully understand the chemistry. This leads to our work being a hybrid between organometallic catalysis and traditional polymer synthesis.

We are also very interested in extending the scope of living polymerisation to monomers which fall outside the traditional areas of anionic and cationic polymerisation, namely a range of functional monomers and monomers with no electron withdrawing or donating substituent attached to the polymerisable double bond. Characterisation is by state-of-the-art methodology including MALDI-TOF-MS and LALLS GPC as well as extensive use of conventional GPC.

Professor David Haddleton is Editor-In-Chief of the RSC Journal "Polymer Chemistry" and Founder and Chief Technical Officer of Warwick Effect Polymers Ltd.