• Question: Roughly how long does it take you to create a new polymer and what does the process involve?

    Asked by POwen to Rose on 18 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Rose Simnett

      Rose Simnett answered on 18 Jun 2015:

      That is a difficult question to answer. It is a very long process and it is the main aim of my entire PhD! There is lots of work that goes into making a new polymer. I have been using two main approaches. Firstly, modifying a polymer that already exists to make something new. Secondly to make a new monomer and then polymerise it to make a new polymer.

      So far, I have made 1 new monomer, but haven’t managed to get it to polymerise yet. And I have modified two polymers that already existed and I have been working for 2 and a half years.

      In a PhD you often get a lot of results towards the end because you have gained the knowledge and experience whilst doing your research, so by the end I hope to have made a few more.

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