[5][6] Armes was educated at Whitley Abbey Comprehensive School[3][7] in Coventry and the University of Bristol where he was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in 1983 followed by a PhD in 1987 for research supervised by Brian Vincent.

[9] Using polymerisation techniques such as reversible addition−fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization (RAFT) and atom-transfer radical-polymerization (ATRP) his laboratory synthesises a wide range of polymers.

[10] His other research interests include designing novel biocompatible copolymer gels and vesicles and developing microscopic nanocomposite particles, which have applications in paints and anti-reflective coatings.

His work on water-borne polymer colloids has led to novel shell cross-linked micelles and nanocomposite particles, with applications in paints, anti-reflective coatings and as stimulus-responsive Pickering emulsifiers.

[10] More recently, he has pioneered polymerisation-induced self-assembly to produce a range of bespoke spherical, worm-like and vesicular nano-objects via RAFT dispersion polymerisation.