Rachel Atkinson

Here is my poster on the synthesis of sustainable, terpene-derived, triblock copolymers for use as thermoplastic elastomers, for the #RSCPoster twitter conference! Carried out as part of the @uonhowdlegroup at @NottsChemistry. #RSCMat #RSCEnv #polymer #sustainability

My final paper from my PhD work is out now in European Polymer Journal! 🎉 Huge thanks to everyone involved!

📑Happy to share our latest collaborative effort, showcasing the self-crosslinking nature of α-pinene methacrylate. Teamwork makes the dream work! @VinTaresco @1stevehowdle @KrisKortsen @RachelLAtkinson @eduards_krumins @faumachado @IrvineUoN doi.org/10.1039/D2PY00…

Just wonderful to recognise @RachelLAtkinson with the 2022 Sir Fraser and Norma Stoddart Prize for Outstanding Citizenship and Academic Excellence in Postgraduate Research - congratulations Rachel - and many thanks to @sirfrasersays for this wonderful initiative.

RAFT polymerisation of renewable terpene (meth)acrylates and the convergent synthesis of methacrylate–acrylate–methacrylate triblock copolymers led by Rachel Atkinson & Steven Howdle @RachelLAtkinson @uonhowdlegroup #openaccess #SustainablePolymers xlink.rsc.org/?doi=10.1039/D…

Very happy to say that our paper on terpene-based block copolymers is now out in @PolymChem! This is my first paper based fully on my PhD work, huge thanks to everyone involved! @uonhowdlegroup pubs.rsc.org/en/content/art…

Bedtime story for polymer chemists. Fig 13. The Very Hungry Radical #ChemComics ✏️ #Polymerization

@DarrenG_Henry Thank you for the support but this contains a huge loophole (RTI submission) which means the majority of those starting between 28/02 and 19/03 are still ineligible! We need to be allowed to prove we had job offers in place. See #newstarterjustice #jobrejectionscheme

Great news - the Government has announced they are extending the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to employees up to the 19th March! It was previously 28th Feb - meaning if you changed jobs before 19th March, you can be included in the furloughing scheme: gov.uk/government/new…

'It just feels like a real kick in the teeth.' Natalie started a new job in the middle of March meaning she isn't eligible for the job retention scheme ⬇️ More here: bbc.in/2RTWyJb

@leanne_hirsch88 @RishiSunak Signed a contract in Feb, was due to start on 23rd March but postponed until this is over.. @RishiSunak #newstarterjustice #jobrejectionscheme

I left my job after securing a new position to commence 1/04/20. As a parent I had to make sure I was doing the right thing for myself and my family. Now I have nothing coming in as I’m not ‘entitled’ to any financial help. @RishiSunak #newstarterjustice #jobrejectionscheme

@RishiSunak Do we deserve nothing just for starting a new job at the wrong time? Why isn't a signed contract proof enough? #newstarterjustice #jobrejectionscheme

Exactly one month ago today I announced the unprecedented decision to step in and help pay people’s wages. We promised support would be available by the end of April – today, we deliver our promise. The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is now live: gov.uk/guidance/claim…

@RishiSunak #newstarterjustice #jobrejectionscheme

How many more times does Rishi Sunak and the government need telling about this gap in support for workers? We were promised “whatever it takes” & they would “get it done.” Well Chancellor, Get it done. For goodness sake treat these people properly. bbc.com/news/uk-wales-…

A small change to the job retention scheme would help ensure people who have changed job don't fall through the gap.

@ammendonca_ I think recombination is a good explanation for this, and might agree with a small amount of RAFT agent degradation. This might lead to an ABABA structure as a side product, which is also used for TPEs so might not worsen the properties but is a sign of a RAFT issue here.

@RachelLAtkinson @uonhowdlegroup @NottsChemistry Have you considered the irreversible termination reaction by recombination as a possible explanation for this effect since this shoulder appeared on high molar mass side of the main peak?

Here is my poster on the synthesis of sustainable, terpene-derived, triblock copolymers for use as thermoplastic elastomers, for the #RSCPoster twitter conference! Carried out as part of the @uonhowdlegroup at @NottsChemistry. #RSCMat #RSCEnv #polymer #sustainability

@ammendonca_ @uonhowdlegroup @NottsChemistry Thank you! No definite explanation yet, but a similar polymerisation using another hard block gave a larger shoulder peak and also degraded the RAFT agent. It's possible this is also an issue here, so hopefully using a more stable RAFT agent will improve this.

@RachelLAtkinson @uonhowdlegroup @NottsChemistry Hello Rachel, nice work and poster. Congratulations. Do you have any explanation for the presence of the shoulder in the SEC curve of the triblock even low dispersity, in the case of the Geraniol polymerization?

@ItsJamesWilson These materials aren't biodegradable, but the major benefit of thermoplastic elastomers is that they can be melted and reprocessed. Typical elastomers with covalent crosslinks can't, so can't be recycled as easily.

@RachelLAtkinson @uonhowdlegroup @NottsChemistry Cool poster. Could modifying the double bond of the limonene fix the conversion issue? Or at least reach a higher conversion? In terms of sustainability, are you able to reprocess or degrade the materials you make?

@ItsJamesWilson Thanks! I suspect it would, others in our group have been working on replacing this kind of double bond with more useful groups for post functionalisation, so this will hopefully also improve the RAFT control and increase the conversion.

@Grau_Etienne We don't see any obvious branching or change in the double bond in the NMR, but we think that a small amount of involvement of the double bond might be causing the increase in dispersity compared to the other terpene polymers.

@RachelLAtkinson @uonhowdlegroup @NottsChemistry Do you observe any transfert reaction to the remaining db of limonene during the polymerisation ?

@fi_hat @uonhowdlegroup @NottsChemistry Thank you! The lower conversion seems to be linked to the reduced RAFT control, as the other monomers reached high conversions. The FRP of limonene acrylate showed some branching due to the double bond, so we think this is also affecting the RAFT to a lesser extent.

@RachelLAtkinson @uonhowdlegroup @NottsChemistry Nice work - I like the AFM images! What was the reason for the lower conversion with limonene? #RSCPoster #RSCMat #RSCEnv

Show terpenes more attention! They're ideally suited for synthesizing sustainable monomers! #Sustainability #RSCPoster