The research in the Polymer Chemistry and Materials group focuses on the synthesis and properties of polymer materials. It aims to discover new ways in which polymers can be made, to understand how polymer structure influences its properties, and to demonstrate how polymers can be used to tackle today’s challenges. Of particular interest is to improve the sustainability of polymers by studying materials derived from renewable feedstocks, by developing more efficient and less wasteful polymerisation methods, and to advance end-of-use strategies.
Key research areas
Polymer chemistry
Investigating new ways to make them (and break them)Advances in this area can give access to unforeseen polymer structures, properties, and production methods, and new chemical recycling and reprocessing strategies. Our areas of expertise include controlled radical polymerisation, ring-opening polymerisation, polymer self-assembly, branched architectures, and heterogeneous polymerisation processes.
Structure-property relationships
Understanding how to design better materialsBasic research in this area improves our understanding of polymer behaviour and guides our decision-making when designing new materials. Application-driven research puts modern polymerisation techniques to use to solve real-world problems.
Anchor Group Bottlebrush Polymers as Oil Additive Friction Modifiers
Sustainable polymers
Reducing the environmental impact of plasticsThe ever-increasing volume of polymers produced each year are a testament to their value and versatility, but their success also poses a great environmental challenge. There is an urgent need to transform the current polymer production and end-of-use landscape by finding sustainable alternatives to today’s plastics. We aim to contribute to this transformation with our basic research and through collaboration with industry partners.
Renewable Lactam Monomer for Tunable and Processable Polyamides
Interested in taking part in our research?
Undergraduate students planning their thesis work or an internship can contact Satu directly via email. Please include a short description of your chemistry knowledge (e.g., relevant studies and work experience), possible wishes related to the project, and a preliminary schedule for your project (i.e., proposed start date).
Prospective doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers are asked to also include a CV and a cover letter describing their motivation to apply to the group, previous research experience, and the titles and supervisors of their theses.
Leader
Satu Häkkinen
Assistant Professor, polymer chemistry
Satu HäkkinenNews
Related research infrastructures
