Dr Thomas Farmer
01904 324479
Email: thomas.farmer@york.ac.uk
Twitter: @ThomasFarmer55
Orcid: 0000-0002-1039-7684
Research Interests
Green Chemistry, clean synthesis, bio-based chemicals, sustainable chemistry, heterogeneous catalysis, microwave reactors, flow reactors, ultrasound reactors, polymer synthesis and characterisation.
Dr Thomas Farmer is leader of the Clean Synthesis Technology Platform in the University of York’s Green Chemistry Centre of Excellence (GCCE), where he manages a team of researchers investigating the greener synthesis of sustainable chemicals and materials. Tom’s major research interests are:
- The production of bio-derived building block chemicals (so called platform molecules) from biomass
- Conversion of these platform molecules to higher-value products such as monomers and polymers, solvents, metal chelators, antioxidants, surfactants and pharmaceuticals
- The synthesis of novel monomers from biomass, and how these go on to effect the characteristics of polymers produced from them
- Improving the end-of-life options for polymers through enhanced bio-degradability or facilitation of recycling methods. This approach can be used to further develop a genuine Circular Economy
- Investigating new sustainable heterogeneous catalysts produced from biomass
- Developing new standard test methods to assist in the certification and labelling of bio-based products, thus helping to promote a bio-based economy
- The application of cleaner synthetic methods including new sustainable solvents, electrochemistry or the use of microwave, ultrasound and flow reactors
Since 2012 Tom has been a tutor on the departments successful MSc in Green Chemistry & Sustainable Industrial Technology course. Tom’s is a co-investigator on a large EPSRC project (Sustainable Polymers, EP/L017393/1) studying the formation of various polymer classes using bio-derived platform molecules and waste carbon dioxide. He is also a co-investigator on a BBSRC/IUK project (EnzPoly, BB/N023595/1) investigating the use of new bio-based monomers for the synthesis of polymers via enzymatic catalysis, and the influence of this on the physical properties and bio-degradability of the resultant plastics. Tom previously managed the University of York’s involvement on two European Commission funded projects to develop and promote new standard test methods and certification for bio-based products (see KBBPPS and OpenBio).
Selected Publications
- Electrochemical Coupling of Biomass-derived Acids: New C8 Platforms for Renewable Polymers and Fuels, Wu, L., Mascal, M., Farmer, T. J., Perocheau Arnaud, S. & Chang, M. A. W., ChemSusChem, 2017, 10, 166–17, Open Access
- Ring opening metathesis polymerisation of a new bio-derived monomer from itaconic anhydride and furfuryl alcohol, Bai, Y., De Bruyn, M., Clark, J. H., Dodson, J. R., Farmer, T. J., Honoré, M., Ingram, I. D. V., Naguib, M., Whitwood, A. C. & North, M., Green Chemistry, 2016, 18, 3945-3948, Open Access
- Post-polymerisation modification of bio-derived unsaturated polyester resins via Michael additions of 1,3-dicarbonyls, Farmer, T. J., Clark, J. H., Macquarrie, D. J., Ogunjobi, J. K. & Castle, R. L., Polymer Chemistry, 2016, 7, 1650-1658, Open Access via White Rose
- Circular economy design considerations for research and process development in the chemical sciences, Clark, J. H., Farmer, T. J., Herrero-Davila, L., Sherwood, J., Green Chemistry, 2016,18, 3914-3934
- Rapid and efficient biphasic liquid extraction of metals with bio- derived lipophilic β-diketone, Hunt, A. J., Farmer, T. J., Asemave, K., Byrne, F. P. & Clark, J. H., RSC Advances, 2016, 6, p. 95789-95792
- A new perspective in bio-refining: Levoglucosenone and cleaner lignin from waste biorefinery hydrolysis lignin by selective conversion of residual saccharides, De Bruyn, M., Fan, J., Budarin, V. L., Macquarrie, D. J., Gomez, L. D., Simister, R., Farmer, T. J., Raverty, W. D., McQueen-Mason, S. J. & Clark, J. H., Energy and Environmental Science, 2016, 9, 2571-2574, Open Access
- N-Butylpyrrolidinone as a dipolar aprotic solvent for organic synthesis, Hunt, A. J., Farmer, T. J., Sherwood, J. R., Parker, H. L. & Moonen, K., Green Chemistry, 2016 18, 3990-3996
- Synthesis of unsaturated polyester resins from various bio-derived platform molecules, Farmer, T. J., Castle, R. L., Clark, J. H. & Macquarrie, International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2015, 16, 14912-14932, Open Access
- Processed Lignin as a Byproduct of the Generation of 5-(Chloromethyl)furfural from Biomass: A Promising New Mesoporous Material, Budarin, V. L., Clark, J. H., Henschen, J., Farmer, T. J., Macquarrie, D. J., Mascal, M., Nagaraja, G. K. & Petchey, T. H. M., ChemSusChem, 2015, 8, 4172-4179
- Chapter 4: Platform Molecules, Farmer, T. J. & Mascal, M., in Introduction to Chemicals from Biomass. Clark, J. H. & Deswarte, F. (eds.). 2 ed. John Wiley & Sons, 2014, 89-155
- Dihydrolevoglucosenone (Cyrene) as a bio-based alternative for dipolar aprotic solvents, Sherwood, J., De Bruyn, M., Constantinou, A., Moity, L., McElroy, R., Farmer, T. J., Duncan, T., Raverty, W., Hunt, A. J. & Clark, J. H., Chemical Communications, 2014, 50, 9650-9652
- Microwave heating for rapid conversion of sugars and polysaccharides to 5-chloromethyl furfural, Breeden, S. W., Clark, J. H., Farmer, T. J., MacQuarrie, D. J., Meimoun, J. S., Nonne, Y. & Reid, J. E. S. J., Green Chemistry, 2013, 15, 72-75
Tom's Research in the Media
Value creation from biomass through bio-chemicals – Part 1, Tom’s first interview with NC Partnering, August 2016
Value creation from biomass through bio-chemicals – Part 2, Tom’s second interview with NC Partnering, September 2016
The case for new biobased platform chemicals, Tom’s interview with Bio-based Press, April 2016
How a footballer’s wonder chemical could change the world – a scientist explains, article in The Conversation, November 2015
