Dr Fiona Hatton

MChem, PhD, FHEA

  • Senior Lecturer in Polymer Chemistry
  • Undergraduate Admissions Tutor
  • Spotlight - Bio-based polymers from renewable resources
    • Publications
    ORCiD Google Scholar
    Fiona Hatton

    Background:

    Fiona obtained her MChem degree in Medicinal Chemistry with Pharmacology from the University of Liverpool in 2010. She stayed at the University of Liverpool for her PhD (2010-2014) which focused on the preparation of highly branched dendritic polymers for biomedical applications (drug delivery). In 2014 she joined the Division of Coating Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm as a postdoctoral researcher. During this time, she worked primarily on cellulose modification with bio- and synthetic polymers. In 2016, she returned to the UK to work as a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Sheffield, preparing functional polymer colloids by polymerization-induced self-assembly.   

    In 2018, Fiona joined 麻豆視頻_麻豆直播_麻豆传媒官网 as a Lecturer in Polymer Chemistry and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2024. Her research group focusses on sustainable polymer chemistry, and she collaborates with researchers in other disciplines to achieve common goals such as more sustainable plastics and characterisation of microplastics. For example, she leads an EPSRC New Investigator Award to prepare new polymers from renewable, biobased resources, with an emphasis on the development of well-defined block copolymers. She was also a co-investigator of the Perpetual Plastics for Food-to-Go project focussing on reducing single use plastics in food to go packaging.

    Qualifications

    • MChem (1st class) Medicinal Chemistry with Pharmacology, University of Liverpool, 2010
    • PhD Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, 2014
    • FHEA, Fellow of the HEA, Advance HE, 麻豆視頻_麻豆直播_麻豆传媒官网, 2021
    • APA, Academic Professional Apprenticeship (Teaching): Level 7, Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education, 麻豆視頻_麻豆直播_麻豆传媒官网, 2021
    • PGCert in Learning and Teaching in HE, 麻豆視頻_麻豆直播_麻豆传媒官网, 2024

    Outline of main research interests:

    • Synthetic polymer chemistry
    • Monomers from renewable resources
    • Self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers
    • In situ monitoring of polymer self-assembly
    • Polymer composite materials utilising nanocellulose

    Current teaching responsibilities:

    • MPC101 - Sustainability, Recycling and Environment
    • MPB034 - Structures and Characterisation
    • MPB209 - Materials Characterisation

    Administrative responsibilities:

    • Undergraduate Admissions Tutor for the Materials and Biomedical Engineering Programmes

    Selected Publications:

    O.J. Harris, P. Tollington, C. J. Greenhalgh, R. Larder, H. Willcock, F. L. Hatton,* “Synthesis and RAFT polymerisation of hydrophobic acrylamide monomers derived from plant oils”, Polym. Chem. 2025, 16, 1321-1331. **Front cover artwort

    S.Soheilian, B. Jordan, F. L. Hatton,* E. Hunsicker, Z. Zhou,* “Impact of size and UV-ageing of polystyrene nanoparticles on copper(ii) adsorption: kinetics and isotherms in aquatic environments”, Environ. Sci.: Nano, 2025, 12, 548-562.

    L.Williams, V. J. C. Holzer, J. Nicklesen, F. L. Hatton,* E. Mele,* “Generation of photosynthetic biomaterials by loading electrospun fibres with the green microalgae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii”, Next Materials, 2025, 7, 100359.

    O.J. Harris, R. Larder, B Jordan, I. Prior, R. El-Khoury, K. O. Sebakhy, F. L. Hatton,* “RAFT solution polymerisation of bio-based γ-methyl-α-methylene-γ-butyrolactone monomer in DMSO and Cyrene”, Chem. Commun. 2024, 60, 14399-14402.

    S.E. Woods, J. D. Tinkler, N. Bensabeh, M. Palà, S. J. Martin, I. Martin-Fabiani, G. Lligadas, F. L. Hatton,* “Temperature-Responsive Lactic Acid-Based Nanoparticles by RAFT-Mediated Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly in Water”, ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng. 2023, 11, 9979-9988.

    R.R. Larder, F. L. Hatton,* “Enabling the Polymer Circular Economy: Innovations in Photoluminescent Labeling of Plastic Waste for Enhanced Sorting”, ACS Polym. Au 2023, 3, 182-201. Special Issue: ACS Polymers Au 2022 Rising Stars in Polymers.

     

    External roles and appointments:

    • Treasurer for the Colloid and Surface Chemistry Group (CSCG) of the SCI
    • Member of the EPSRC Peer Review College
    • Advisory Board Member for RSC journal Polymer Chemistry

    Professional affiliations:

    • Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC)
    • Member of the Society for Chemical Industry (SCI)
    • Member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (MIMMM)