Christopher DeArmitt

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Christopher DeArmitt is an American–Swedish polymer chemist and materials scientist. His work focuses on polymer additives, nano-fillers, and environmental assessments of plastics. He is the founder of Phantom Plastics and the Plastics Research Council.

Early life and education

DeArmitt earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and polymer science, followed by an MPhil and PhD in polymer and surface science at the University of Sussex. His doctoral research examined conducting polymers, including polyaniline and polypyrrole, with emphasis on polymerisation kinetics, colloids, and surface composition.

Career

DeArmitt has held senior positions at BASF, Electrolux, Hybrid Plastics, Applied Minerals, and LKAB Minerals. In 2005, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC) and later became a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (FIMMM) and a Chartered Chemist (CChem).

In 2009, DeArmitt founded Phantom Plastics, a materials science consultancy. In 2024, he established the Plastics Research Council, a nonprofit organization that reviews research on plastics, microplastics, and environmental impacts. He has provided evidence in reviews concerning decabromodiphenyl ethane and microplastics.

DeArmitt has spoken at Plastics in Motion (2015), the Compounding World Forum, and meetings of trade associations including the Uni-Bell PVC Pipe Association Annual Meeting, the IAPD GenerationNext Virtual Event, the European Plastics Distributors Association Annual Conference, and a seminar at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Research

DeArmitt's research includes polymer additives, fillers, dispersants, coupling agents, surface modifiers, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) molecules, hyperbranched antioxidants, polymer composites, conducting polymer colloids, and polymerisation kinetics. His publications examine thermomechanical performance, comparative evaluations of fillers, surface modification techniques, and polymer material performance.

He has contributed chapters to reference works including Applied Plastics Engineering Handbook and Brydson’s Plastics Materials, discussing fillers, fibre reinforcements, and functional additives. Additional chapters include Magnetite (2014), Particulate Fillers, Selection, and Use in Polymer Composites (2017), and Fillers and Filled Plastics (2019).

He has conducted comparative evaluations of polypropylene fillers. His work includes evaluation of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) packaging in terms of durability, recyclability, and life-cycle assessment.

Public engagement

DeArmitt has commented on plastics and environmental science in media outlets and public forums. He has appeared in CBS 60 Minutes, Sky News, and the BBC, and has participated in panels on environmental and health aspects of plastics. His work on life-cycle assessment of plastics has been cited in Canadian Parliament by Minister Lianne Rood. Some of his analyses have been subject to criticism by environmental groups.

He has reviewed studies on microplastics in human fluids and environmental exposure and has discussed methodological aspects of such studies. He has also discussed methodological questions in studies investigating whether microplastics cross the blood–brain barrier.

Patents

  • Multimodal polyalkylene terephthalate system, U.S. Patent No. 12,359,022 (15 July 2025), with Mohammed Razeem.
  • Polyethylene terephthalate alloy having talc, Publication No. 20230227617 (20 July 2023), with Mohammed Razeem.
  • Multimodal polyalkylene terephthalate, U.S. Patent No. 11,667,753 (6 June 2023), with Mohammed Razeem.
  • Process for coagulation of aqueous polymer dispersions, U.S. Patent No. 8,470,911 (25 June 2013), with Graham Edmund McKee and Konrad Mitulla.
  • Continuous process for performing a reaction, Publication No. 20110006259 (13 January 2011.
  • Continuous process for performing a chemical reaction in which a gaseous phase is added to a charge system, Publication No. 20090323458 (31 December 2009), with Wolfgang Fischer and Rainer Bardon.

Selected publications

  • DeArmitt, C. & Rothon, R. “Dispersants and Coupling Agents”, in Applied Plastics Engineering Handbook, Elsevier, 2011, pp. 441–454. doi:10.1016/b978-1-4377-3514-7.10025-x.
  • DeArmitt, C. & Rothon, R. “Dispersants and Coupling Agents”, in Applied Plastics Engineering Handbook, Elsevier, 2017, pp. 501–516. doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-39040-8.00022-5.
  • Rothon, R. & DeArmitt, C. “Fillers (Including Fiber Reinforcements)”, in Brydson’s Plastics Materials, Elsevier, 2017, pp. 169–204. doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-35824-8.00008-6.
  • DeArmitt, C. (2011). “Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes in Plastics.” In: Hartmann-Thompson, C. (ed.) Applications of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes. Advances in Silicon Science, vol. 3, pp. 209–228. doi:10.1007/978-90-481-3787-9_5.
  • DeArmitt, C.; Rothon, R. (2007). “Tailor-made Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane (POSS) Molecules for Thermosets.” Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 38(6), 1275–1285. doi:10.1016/S1464-391X(06)70607-9.
  • Bergenudd, H.; Eriksson, P.; DeArmitt, C.; Stenberg, B.; Malmström Jonsson, E. (2002). “Synthesis and evaluation of hyperbranched phenolic antioxidants of three different generations.” Polymer Degradation and Stability, 76(3), 503–509. doi:10.1016/S0141-3910(02)00071-X.
  • DeArmitt, C. & Breese, K. (2001). “Filled Polypropylene: A Cost-Performance Comparison of Common Fillers.” Plastics, Additives and Compounding, 3(9), 28–33. doi:10.1016/S1464-391X(01)80252-X.

Books

  • Innovation Abyss (2016)
  • The Plastics Paradox (2020)
  • Shattering the Plastics Illusion (2025)