Professor Peter Lovell

Peter Lovell graduated from UMIST with a BSc in Polymer Science and Technology (Chemistry) in 1977 and a PhD on the Synthesis of Poly(Arylene Sulphide)s in 1981. After three years leading the Polymer Science Research at Ilford Ltd., he returned to UMIST as a Lecturer. Following promotions to Senior Lecturer (1993) and Reader (1996), he was awarded a Personal Chair in Polymer Science (1999). In recent years, he has had an active role in the management of UMIST; he was instrumental in developing the Foundation Studies activity (1999-2004) and was Dean of Teaching and Learning from 2002-4. He was the founding Chairman of the UK Polymer Colloids Forum and presently is Chairman of Macro Group UK.

Peter's research has the underlying theme of controlling polymer structure and morphology in order to manipulate polymer properties. Studies of correlations between polymerisation process/conditions and the structure and molecular properties of the polymers produced underpin the research, most of which is concerned with materials of industrial importance and carried out in close collaboration with industry. Emulsion polymerisation features prominently, with a present focus on (i) control of branching and grafting, (ii) developing a novel crosslinking chemistry, (iii) living radical miniemulsion polymerisation, and (iv) pressure-sensitive adhesives.

• Chemistry and control of branching and grafting arising from chain transfer to polymer in free-radical polymerisations.
• Novel chemistry for crosslinking of water-borne coatings during film formation.
• Preparation and properties of nanostructured water-borne pressure-sensitive adhesives.
• Nitroxide-mediated miniemulsion polymerisation.
• Synthesis of diacetylene-containing polymers for studies of deformation micromechanics (with John Stanford and Bob Young).
• Development of strain-sensing coatings (with John Stanford and Bob Young).

• P.A. Lovell and M.S. El-Aasser. Emulsion Polymerization and Emulsion Polymers. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, 801 pages (1997)
• F. Heatley, P.A. Lovell and T. Yamashita. Chain Transfer to Polymer in Free-Radical Solution Polymerization of 2-Ethylhexyl Acrylate Studied by NMR Spectroscopy. Macromolecules, 34, 7636-7641 (2001)
• N.M. Ahmad, P.A. Lovell and S.M. Underwood. Viscoelastic Properties of Branched Polyacrylate Melts. Polymer International, 50, 625-634 (2001)
• P.A. Lovell, J.L. Stanford, C. Thongpin and R.J. Young. Fragmentation Analysis of Glass Fibres in Model Composites through the Use of Raman Spectroscopy. Composites, Part A, 32, 253-269 (2001)
• D.J. Britton, F. Heatley and P.A. Lovell. 13C NMR Spectroscopy Studies of Branching and Sequence Distribution in Copolymers of Vinyl Acetate and n-Butyl Acrylate Prepared by Semibatch Emulsion Copolymerization. Macromolecules, 34, 817-829 (2001)
• P.A. Lovell. An Overview of Current and Future Themes for Polymer Colloids Research in Emerging Themes in Polymer Science, A.J. Ryan (Editor), Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, 2001
• T. Annable, I. Gray, P.A. Lovell, S.N. Richards and G. Satgurunathan. Degradation and Grafting of Hydroxyethylcellulose during Emulsion Polymerization. Progress in Colloid and Polymer Science, 124, 159-163 (2003)