Professor of Supramolecular & Polymer Chemistry / Director of the Melville Laboratory for Polymer Synthesis


What we do

Our research interests include the synthesis of functional nanosystems, controlled polymer architectures and dynamic supramolecular assemblies through molecular recognition processes.

The underlying theme of our research lies at the interface between synthetic organic efforts on small molecules and macroscopic properties at the materials level, developing a macro-organic approach to chemistry. Dynamic supramolecular self-assembly of materials will be an area of great importance in the coming years, allowing for innovations in nanotechnology and at the biological and chemical interfaces.

We are particularly interested in exploring topics such as water-soluble and stimuli-responsive materials, template and imprinting technologies of functional polymers for use in chiral separations and enantioselective catalysis, and controlling material morphologies and architectures both in solution and in the solid state through rational design and a multi-step, hierarchical self-assembly process.

Watch Professor Scherman discuss his research

Take a tour of the Scherman Lab

Publications

pH-controlled release of auxin plant hormones from cucurbit[7]uril macrocycle
A Nuzzo, OA Scherman, P Mazzei, A Piccolo
Chemical and Biological Technologies in Agriculture
(2014)
3
Healable, Stable and Stiff Hydrogels: Combining Conflicting Properties Using Dynamic and Selective Three-Component Recognition with Reinforcing Cellulose Nanorods
JR McKee, EA Appel, J Seitsonen, E Kontturi, OA Scherman, O Ikkala
Advanced Functional Materials
(2014)
24
Gluing gels: A nanoparticle solution.
EA Appel, OA Scherman
Nat Mater
(2014)
13
A selective supramolecular photochemical sensor for dopamine
S Kasera, Z Walsh, J del Barrio, OA Scherman
Supramolecular Chemistry
(2014)
26
Self-assembly and photoinduced optical anisotropy in dendronized supramolecular azopolymers
J del Barrio, E Blasco, C Toprakcioglu, A Koutsioubas, OA Scherman, L Oriol, C Sánchez-Somolinos
Macromolecules
(2014)
47
Photoresponsive hybrid raspberry-like colloids based on cucurbit[8]uril host-guest interactions
Y Lan, Y Wu, A Karas, OA Scherman
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
(2014)
53
Nondestructive optical detection of monomer uptake in wood polymer composites
A Farina, I Bargigia, E-R Janeček, Z Walsh, C D'Andrea, A Nevin, M Ramage, OA Scherman, A Pifferi
Optics Letters
(2014)
39
Supramolecular polymeric peptide amphiphile vesicles for the encapsulation of basic fibroblast growth factor.
XJ Loh, J del Barrio, T-C Lee, OA Scherman
Chem Commun (Camb)
(2014)
50
Supramolecular colloidosomes: Fabrication, characterisation and triggered release of cargo
G Stephenson, RM Parker, Y Lan, Z Yu, OA Scherman, C Abell
Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)
(2014)
50
In Situ SERS Monitoring of Photochemistry within a Nanojunction Reactor
RW Taylor, RJ Coulston, F Biedermann, S Mahajan, JJ Baumberg, OA Scherman
Nano Letters
(2013)
13

Head of group

Telephone number

01223 331797, 01223 334372 (shared)

Email address

College