Staff profile

EDI - Co-Chair

Departmental Environment Champion

Rheology and composites

The behaviour of materials under flow is essential to understand for many processing, manufacturing and product uses. We use controlled rheology experiments on well defined samples to study their behaviour in simplified flow conditions and combine with theory, modelling and other experimental techniques to understand the complex behaviours of modern materials.

Research Interests

Research in Dr Thompson’s group is focused on the physical chemistry of polymers and particularly their fascinating behaviour at exposed surfaces and buried interfaces. Within this area, there are two main themes: (i) the relationship between chemical functionalisation of polymer and their self-organisation,[1, 2] and (ii) the exploitation of unusual process environments to control this behaviour.[3, 4] As well as addressing fundamental polymer science problems, the group collaborates with actively with industry and other research groups to address diverse topics such as surface modification, rheology (flow) problems, polymer electronics[5] and nanocomposites.[6]

Influence of solvents on polymer adsorption and diffusion

-why bake, when you could boil, steam or deep fry!?

Polymer processing frequently makes use of organic solvents and we have used ion beam and optical techniques to explore for the first time the relationship between the ingress of a penetrating solvent vapour or nonsolvent and the interdiffusion of polymer chains that can accompany this process. Not only does this allow us to understand how to make efficient use of organic solvents, but is leads to new opportunities in polymer self-organisation. We have also shown for the first time that polarity, pH and ionic strength of a contacting non-solvent can all be harnessed to deliver different kinds of surface modification.

References

1. Kimani, S.M., et al., Synthesis and surface activity of high and low surface energy multi-end functional polybutadiene additives. Soft Matter, 2012. 8(12): p. 3487-3496. 
2. Hardman, S.J., et al., Surface Modification of Polyethylene with Multi-End-Functional Polyethylene Additives. Langmuir, 2012. 28(11): p. 5125-5137. 
3. Hutchings, L.R., et al., NonSolvent Annealing in Thin Polymer Films. Langmuir, 2010. 26(19): p. 15486-15493. 
4. Thompson, R.L., et al., pH-Controlled Polymer Surface Segregation. Langmuir, 2009. 25(5): p. 3184-3188. 
5. Rodriguez, A.B., et al., Structure of films of poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) crosslinked with glycerol. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 2011. 21(48): p. 19324-19330. 
6. Thompson, R.L., S.C. Gurumurthy, and M. Pattabi, Depth distribution of silver particulate films deposited in softened polystyrene substrates studied through Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Journal of Applied Physics, 2011. 110(4). 043533

• Ion and neutron scattering techniques
• Soft Matter
• Polymer Blends
• Surfaces and Interfaces
• Nanocomposites

• 2000: ISIS Facility Access Panel (Large Scale Structures) 2008-2011:
• 2000: ISIS Facility Access Panel (Spectroscopy) 2014-2018:
• 2000: British Society of Rheology: Council Member and Hon. Bulletin Editor

Conference Paper

• Hutchings, L., Narrainen, A., Clarke, N., Thompson, R., & Ansari, I. (2006, December). Well defined multi end-functionalized polymers as additives to modify surfaces and interfaces. Presented at 231st National Meeting of the American-Chemical-Society, Atlanta, GA
• Narrainen, A., Hutchings, L., Feast, W., Thompson, R., Ansari, I., & Clarke, N. (2006, December). Fluorocarbon end-functionalized polymers from poly(arylether) dendritic initiators. Presented at 8th Conference on Macromolecules - Polymers for Africa, La Pirogue, MAURITANIA

Journal Article

• Miller, L. R., Miller, L. R., Galán‐González, A., Galán-González, A., Nicholson, B., Bowen, L., Monier, G., Borthwick, R. J., Borthwick, R. J., White, F., Saeed, M., Thompson, R. L., Thompson, R. L., Robert‐Goumet, C., Robert-Goumet, C., Atkinson, D., Zeze, D. A., Chaudhry, M. U., Souop, M., & Bideux, L. (online). Control Strategies for Solution‐Processed ZTO‐Based Thin‐Film Transistors Tailored Toward Volatile Organic Compound Detection. Advanced Electronic Materials, Article 2400810. https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.202400810
• Kaur, P., Bowen, L., Hutchings, L. R., Chaudhry, M. U., Pugh, T., & Thompson, R. L. (2025). Reinforcement of GO composites using rigid and flexible crosslinkers. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects, 709, Article 136156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.colsurfa.2025.136156
• Starck, M., Fiandra, E. F., Binks, J., Si, G., Chilton, R., Sivik, M., Thompson, R. L., Li, J., Wilson, M. R., & Mahon, C. S. (2025). Surface Modification of Polyesters Using Biosourced Soil-Release Polymers. JACS Au, 5(2), 666-674. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacsau.4c00908
• Tiihonen, L. V., Weir, M. P., Parnell, A. J., Boothroyd, S. C., Johnson, D. W., Dalgliesh, R. M., Bleuel, M., Duif, C. P., Bouwman, W. G., Thompson, R. L., Coleman, K. S., Clarke, N., Hamilton, W. A., Washington, A. L., & Parnell, S. R. (2024). Revealing microscale bulk structures in polymer–carbon nanocomposites using spin-echo SANS. Soft Matter, 20(43), 8663-8674. https://doi.org/10.1039/d4sm00578c
• Galán-González, A., Pander, P., MacKenzie, R. C. I., Bowen, L., Zeze, D. A., Borthwick, R. J., Thompson, R. L., Dias, F. B., & Chaudhry, M. U. (2023). Nanostructured Channel for Improving Emission Efficiency of Hybrid Light-Emitting Field-Effect Transistors. ACS Photonics, 10(12), 4315-4321. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsphotonics.3c01080
• Szablewski, M., Thompson, R. L., & Pålsson, L.-O. (2022). Modulated Fluorescence in LB Films Based on DADQs—A Potential Sensing Surface?. Molecules, 27(12), Article 3893. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27123893
• Bannister, C., Guy, A., Mihaylova, R., Orgill, J., Burg, S. L., Parnell, A., & Thompson, R. L. (2022). The influence of ambient cure chemistry and stoichiometry on epoxy coating surfaces. RSC Advances, 12(44), 28746-28754. https://doi.org/10.1039/d2ra05067f
• Robertson, B., Robinson, I. M., Stocks, D., & Thompson, R. L. (2022). Shear processing maps: a new design guide for melt processors. Plastics, Rubber and Composites, 51(5), 217-239. https://doi.org/10.1080/14658011.2020.1796082
• Millican, J. M., Bittrich, E., Caspari, A., Pöschel, K., Drechsler, A., Freudenberg, U., Ryan, T. G., Thompson, R. L., Pospiech, D., & Hutchings, L. R. (2021). Synthesis and characterisation of a mussel-inspired hydrogel film coating for biosensors. European Polymer Journal, 153, Article 110503. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2021.110503
• Litwinowicz, M., Rogers, S., Caruana, A., Kinane, C., Tellam, J., & Thompson, R. (2021). Tuning the Bulk and Surface Properties of PDMS Networks through Cross-Linker and Surfactant Concentration. Macromolecules, 54(20), https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.1c01600
• Gibson, C. P., Litwinowicz, M. A., Tellam, J. P., Welbourn, R. J., Skoda, M. W., Claussen, J., & Thompson, R. L. (2021). Water-Resistant Surface Modification of Hydrophobic Polymers with Water-Soluble Surfactant Additives. Polymers, 13(19), Article 3407. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13193407
• Reynolds, C., Hoyle, D., McLeish, T., & Thompson, R. (2020). Chain-stretch relaxation from low-frequency Fourier transform rheology. Physical Review Research, 2(3), Article 033457. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevresearch.2.033457
• Fong, R., Squillace, O., Reynolds, C., Cooper, J., Dalgliesh, R. M., Tellam, J., Courchay, F., & Thompson, R. L. (2020). Segregation of Amine Oxide Surfactants in PVA Films. Langmuir, 36(17), 4795-4807. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.0c00084
• Tasche, J., Sabattie, E. F., Thompson, R. L., Campana, M., & Wilson, M. R. (2020). Oligomer/polymer blend phase diagram and surface concentration profiles for squalane/polybutadiene: experimental measurements and predictions from SAFT-g Mie and molecular dynamics simulations. Macromolecules, 53(7), 2309-2309. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.9b02155
• Squillace, O., Fong, R., Shepherd, O., Hind, J., Tellam, J., Steinke, N.-J., & Thompson, R. L. (2020). Influence of PVAc/PVA Hydrolysis on Additive Surface Activity. Polymers, 12(1), Article 205. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12010205
• Boothroyd, S., Hoyle, D., McLeish, T., Munch, E., Schach, R., Smith, A., & Thompson, R. (2019). Association and Relaxation of Supra-Macromolecular Polymers. Soft Matter, 15(26), 5296-5307. https://doi.org/10.1039/c8sm02580k
• Robertson, B., Thompson, R. L., McLeish, T. C., & Robinson, I. (2019). Polymer extrudate-swell: From monodisperse melts to polydispersity and flow-induced reduction in monomer friction. Journal of Rheology, 63(2), 319-333. https://doi.org/10.1122/1.5058207
• Jones, C. D., Simmons, H. T., Horner, K. E., Liu, K., Thompson, R. L., & Steed, J. W. (2019). Braiding, branching and chiral amplification of nanofibres in supramolecular gels. Nature Chemistry, 11, 375-381. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41557-019-0222-0
• Fong, R. J., Robertson, A., Mallon, P. E., & Thompson, R. L. (2018). The impact of plasticizer and degree of hydrolysis on free volume of poly (vinyl alcohol) films. Polymers, 10(9), Article 1036. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym10091036
• Boothroyd, S. C., Johnson, D. W., Weir, M. P., Reynolds, C. D., Hart, J. M., Smith, A. J., Clarke, N., Thompson, R. L., & Coleman, K. S. (2018). Controlled Structure Evolution of Graphene Networks in Polymer Composites. Chemistry of Materials, 30(5), 1524-1531. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.7b04343
• Reynolds, C., Thompson, R., & McLeish, T. (2018). Pressure and shear rate dependence of the viscosity and stress relaxation of polymer melts. Journal of Rheology, 62(2), 631-642. https://doi.org/10.1122/1.5012969
• Briddick, A., Fong, R. J., Sabattié, E. F., Li, P., Skoda, M. W., Courchay, F., & Thompson, R. L. (2018). Blooming of Smectic Surfactant/Plasticizer Layers on Spin-Cast Poly(vinyl alcohol) Films. Langmuir, 34(4), 1410-1418. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.7b04046
• Robertson, B., Thompson, R. L., McLeish, T. C., & Robinson, I. (2017). Theoretical prediction and experimental measurement of isothermal extrudate swell of monodisperse and bidisperse polystyrenes. Journal of Rheology, 61(5), 931-945. https://doi.org/10.1122/1.4995603
• Sabattié, E., Tasche, J., Wilson, M. R., Skoda, M. W., Hughes, A. V., Lindner, T., & Thompson, R. (2017). Predicting Oligomer/Polymer Compatibility and its Impact on Nanoscale Segregation in Thin Films. Soft Matter, 13(19), 3580-3591. https://doi.org/10.1039/c7sm00048k
• Zhang, Y., Parnell, A. J., Pontecchiani, F., Cooper, J. F., Thompson, R. L., Jones, R. A., King, S. M., Lidzey, D. G., & Bernardo, G. (2017). Understanding and controlling morphology evolution via DIO plasticization in PffBT4T-2OD/PC71BM devices. Scientific Reports, 7, Article 44269. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep44269
• Smith, R., Boothroyd, S., Khosravi, E., & Thompson, R. (2016). A facile route for rubber breakdown via cross metathesis reactions. Green Chemistry, 18(11), 3448-3455. https://doi.org/10.1039/c5gc03075g
• Weir, M. P., Johnson, D. W., Boothroyd, S. C., Savage, R. C., Thompson, R. L., Parnell, S. R., Parnell, A. J., King, S. M., Rogers, S. E., Coleman, K. S., & Clarke, N. (2016). Extrinsic Wrinkling and Single Exfoliated Sheets of Graphene Oxide in Polymer Composites. Chemistry of Materials, 28(6), 1698-1704. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.5b04502
• Weir, M., Johnson, D., Boothroyd, S., Savage, R., Thompson, R., King, S., Rogers, S., Coleman, K., & Clarke, N. (2016). Distortion of Chain Conformation and Reduced Entanglement in Polymer–Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites. ACS Macro Letters, 5(4), 430-434. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmacrolett.6b00100
• Hart, J. M., Kimani, S. M., Hutchings, L. R., Grillo, I., Hughes, A. V., Clarke, N., Garcia-Sakai, V., Rogers, S. E., Mendis, B., & Thompson, R. L. (2016). Spontaneous Nanoparticle Dispersal in Polybutadiene by Brush-Forming End-Functional Polymers. Macromolecules, 49(4), 1434-1443. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.5b02318
• Briddick, A., Li, P., Hughes, A., Courchay, F., Martinez, A., & Thompson, R. (2016). Surfactant and Plasticizer Segregation in Thin Poly(vinyl alcohol) Films. Langmuir, 32(3), 864-872. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b03758
• James, C. D., Jeynes, C., Barradas, N. P., Clifton, L., Dalgliesh, R. M., Smith, R. F., Sankey, S. W., Hutchings, L. R., & Thompson, R. L. (2015). Modifying Polyester Surfaces with Incompatible Polymer Additives. Reactive and Functional Polymers, 89, 40-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2015.03.002
• Lowery, R., Gibson, M., Thompson, R., & Fullam, E. (2015). Deuterated Carbohydrate Probes as ‘Label-Free’ Substrates for Probing Nutrient Uptake in Mycobacteria by Nuclear Reaction Analysis. Chemical Communications, 51(23), 4838-4841. https://doi.org/10.1039/c4cc09588j
• Kingsley, J. W., Marchisio, P. P., Yi, H., Iraqi, A., Kinane, C. J., Langridge, S., Thompson, R. L., Cadby, A. J., Pearson, A. J., Lidzey, D. G., Jones, R. A., & Parnell, A. J. (2014). Molecular weight dependent vertical composition profiles of PCDTBT:PC71BM blends for organic photovoltaics. Scientific Reports, 4, Article 5286. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep05286
• Kimani, S., Thompson, R., Hutchings, L., Clarke, N., Billah, S., Sakai, V., & Rogers, S. (2014). Multihydroxyl End Functional Polyethylenes: Synthesis, Bulk and Interfacial Properties of Polymer Surfactants. Macromolecules, 47(6), 2062-2071. https://doi.org/10.1021/ma402158b
• Hardman, S., Hutchings, L., Clarke, N., Kimani, S., Mears, L., Smith, E., Webster, J., & Thompson, R. (2012). Surface Modification of Polyethylene with Multi-End-Functional Polyethylene Additives. Langmuir, 28(11), 5125-5137. https://doi.org/10.1021/la205158n
• Kimani, S., Hardman, S., Hutchings, L., Clarke, N., & Thompson, R. (2012). Synthesis and surface activity of high and low surface energy multi-end functional polybutadiene additives. Soft Matter, 8(12), 3487-3496. https://doi.org/10.1039/c2sm07361g
• Thompson, R. (2010). Solvent-free polymer lithography via the Kirkendall effect. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, 268(11-12), 2181-2184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nimb.2010.02.083
• Mokarian-Tabari, P., Geoghegan, M., Howse, J., Heriot, S., Thompson, R., & Jones, R. (2010). Quantitative evaluation of evaporation rate during spin-coating of polymer blend films: Control of film structure through defined-atmosphere solvent-casting. The European Physical Journal E, 33(4), 283-289. https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2010-10670-7
• Morse, A., Edmondson, S., Dupin, D., Armes, S., Zhang, Z., Leggett, G., Thompson, R., & Lewis, A. (2010). Biocompatible polymer brushes grown from model quartz fibres: synthesis, characterisation and in situ determination of frictional coefficient. Soft Matter, 6(7), 1571-1579. https://doi.org/10.1039/b921218c
• Hutchings, L., Douglas, C., Rhodes, C., Carswell, W., Skoda, M., Webster, J., & Thompson, R. (2010). Nonsolvent Annealing Polymer Films with Ionic Liquids. Langmuir, 26(19), 15486-15493. https://doi.org/10.1021/la102933g
• Thompson, R., Hardman, S., Hutchings, L., Narrainen, A., & Dalgliesh, R. (2009). pH-Controlled Polymer Surface Segregation. Langmuir, 25(5), 3184-3188. https://doi.org/10.1021/la803583f
• Ansari, I., Clarke, N., Hutchings, L., Narrainen, A., Terry, A., Thompson, R., & Webster, J. (2007). Aggregation, adsorption, and surface properties of multiply end-functionalized polystyrenes. Langmuir, 23(8), 4405-4413. https://doi.org/10.1021/la0635810
• Pillay Narrainen, A., Hutchings, L., Ansari, I., Clarke, N., & Thompson, R. (2006). Novel multi end-functionalised polymers. Additives to modify polymer properties at surfaces and interfaces. Soft Matter, 2(2), 126-128. https://doi.org/10.1039/b516439g
• Narrainen, A. P., Hutchings, L., Feast, W., Thompson, R., Ansari, I., & Clarke, N. (2006). Fluorocarbon end-functionalized polymers from poly(arylether) dendritic initiators. Macromolecular Symposia, 231(1), 103-109. https://doi.org/10.1002/masy.200590013
• Hutchings, L., Narrainen, A., Eggleston, S., Clarke, N., & Thompson, R. (2006). Surface-active fluorocarbon end-functionalized polylactides. Polymer, 47(24), 8116-8122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polymer.2006.09.050
• Clough, A., Collins, S., Gauntlett, F., Hodgson, M., Jeynes, C., Rihawy, M., Todd, A., & Thompson, R. (2006). In situ water permeation measurement using an external He-3(2+) ion beam. Journal of Membrane Science, 285(1-2), 137-143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.memsci.2006.08.014
• Higgins, A., Martin, S., Geoghegan, M., Heriot, S., Thompson, R., Cubitt, R., Dalgliesh, R., Grizzi, I., & Jones, R. (2006). Interfacial structure in conjugated polymers: Characterization and control of the interface between poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) and poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole). Macromolecules, 39(19), 6699-6707. https://doi.org/10.1021/ma060072w
• Narrainen, A., Clarke, N., Eggleston, S., Hutchings, L., & Thompson, R. (2006). Surface adsorption of polar end-functionalised polystyrenes. Soft Matter, 2(11), 981-985. https://doi.org/10.1039/b608688h
• Clarke, N., Colley, F., Collins, S., Hutchings, L., & Thompson, R. (2005). Self-diffusion and viscoelastic measurements of polystyrene star polymers. Macromolecules, 39(3), 1290-1296. https://doi.org/10.1021/ma051973s
• Thompson, R., McDonald, M., Lenthall, J., & Hutchings, L. (2005). Solvent accelerated polymer diffusion in thin films. Macromolecules, 38(10), 4339-4344. https://doi.org/10.1021/ma050317p
• Higgins, A., Martin, S., Thompson, R., Chappell, J., Voigt, M., Lidzey, D., Jones, R., & Geoghegan, M. (2005). Surface segregation and self-stratification in blends of spin-cast polyfluorene derivatives. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter, 17(8), 1319-1328
• Kiff, F., Richards, R., & Thompson, R. (2004). Solvent vapor mediated polymer adsorption in thin films. Langmuir, 20(11), 4465-4470. https://doi.org/10.1021/la035825b
• Chappell, J., Lidzey, D., Jukes, P., Higgins, A., Thompson, R., O'Connor, S., Grizzi, I., Fletcher, R., O'Brien, J., Geoghegan, M., & Jones, R. (2003). Correlating structure with fluorescence emission in phase-separated conjugated-polymer blends. Nature Materials, 2(9), 616-621
• Hutchings, L., Richards, R., Thompson, R., & Bucknall, D. (2002). Film thickness effects on the distribution of high-molecular-weight heterotelechelic polymers. The European Physical Journal E, 8(2), 121-128
• Hutchings, L., Richards, R., Thompson, R., Clough, A., & Langridge, S. (2001). Interface development in polycarbonate/poly(methyl methacrylate) bilayer films. Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, 39(20), 2351-2362
• Hutchings, L., Richards, R., Thompson, R., Bucknall, D., & Clough, A. (2001). Partitioning of a heterotelechelic polystyrene to separate interfaces of thin films. The European Physical Journal E, 5(4), 451-464
• Hutchings, L., Richards, R., Reynolds, S., & Thompson, R. (2001). Small-angle neutron scattering from single arm labeled polybutadiene star polymers in dilute solution. Macromolecules, 34(16), 5571-5578