• Question: What did your most recent experiment involve

    Asked by Alastair M to Anne, Arthur, Rose, Ruhina, Thomas on 17 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Rose Simnett

      Rose Simnett answered on 17 Jun 2015:

      My most recent experiment was a polymerisation using a super-base called a phosphazene base or P4-t-Bu. It was to polymerise an epoxide monomer.

    • Photo: Ruhina Miller

      Ruhina Miller answered on 19 Jun 2015:

      Not sure about others but because of confidentiality issues, especially when you have industry sponsors, we aren’t able to answer this – sorry! It’s not that we are ignoring you 🙂

    • Photo: Thomas Farrugia

      Thomas Farrugia answered on 21 Jun 2015:

      Most recent experiment was sticking polymer onto proteins, collecting the resulting nanoparticles and washing them to remove any excess polymer (done by taking the clusters, adding clean water and then centrifuging them – remove water, add clean water and repeat). Once cleaned I diluted them in water again and poured them into some moulds to make films over the weekend – fingers crossed they’ll have formed this Monday 🙂

    • Photo: Arthur Wilkinson

      Arthur Wilkinson answered on 23 Jun 2015:

      Testing carbon fibre composites (polymers with lots of carbon fibre in them to make them very stiff and strong) for use in aircraft. We have a machine that can use up to 250 tonnes to break these materals and measure their strength.

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