Aaron Lister


Theme

Low Carbon Fuels

Project

Utilisation of Terpene Feedstocks to Produce Polymers for the Automotive Industry

Supervisor(s)

Dr James Taylor, Prof Chris Chuck

Bio

Aaron completed his BSc Chemistry degree from the University of Huddersfield in addition to receiving the Ross Thompson Physical Memorial Prize for Outstanding Performance in Physical Chemistry in the final year. With a particular interest in organic chemistry, Aaron is very excited to have the opportunity to learn more about automotive propulsion technologies in the hope of building his understanding on alternative fuel sources. Concerning his research project, Aaron will be working towards optimising production of p-menthane/p-cymene blends from naturally occuring crude sulfate turpentine and how these blends could be incorporated within combustion engines. Away from University Aaron enjoys making music, lifting weights and travelling.

Fun Facts

  • I owned three cars before I passed my driving test (it took me five attempts!)
  • I've managed a five-a-side football team (we finished bottom of the league!)
  • My favourite smelling chemical is Diacetyl which has a buttery aroma and used in microwave popcorn
  • I've tried some strange-smelling foods such as Netto, Stinky Tofu and the Durian (definitely the worst) while travelling in Asia, though all tasted absolutely delicious!

Utilisation of Terpene Feedstocks to Produce Polymers for the Automotive Industry

Aims
The aim of this project is to investigate the use of crude sulfate turpentine, a waste by-product, as a renewable feedstock for producing polymers widely used in the automotive industry.
Project Summary
Limonene has attracted significant attention as a precursor for biopolymers due to its unique chemical structure. However, its limited availability restricts its potential impact. A more plentiful and affordable alternative could enable the production of chemicals with similar structural features but on a larger scale. This project therefore focuses on β-pinene, available in large quantities from crude sulfate turpentine, and the development of scalable methods to produce pseudolimonene, a structural analogue of limonene. Subsequent work will assess the conversion of pseudolimonene into various monomers for polymer production and compare their performance with those derived from limonene.