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Related Concept Videos

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers01:24

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers

Copolymers are the products obtained from the polymerization of multiple monomer species. So, in a polymer chain itself, there can be multiple repeating units that come from different monomers. The process of synthesizing a polymer from different monomer species is called copolymerization. When two monomers are involved, the polymer is known as a bipolymer. Polymers with three and four monomers are termed terpolymers and quaterpolymers, respectively. Figure 1 depicts the copolymerization of...
Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism00:57

Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

The cationic polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination. In the initiation step of the polymerization process, the π bond of a monomer gets protonated by the Lewis acid catalyst, which is formed from boron trifluoride and water. The protonation of the π bond generates a carbocation stabilized by the electron‐donating group. In the propagation step, the π bond of the second monomer acts as a nucleophile and attacks the generated carbocation,...
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism01:04

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

The mechanism for anionic chain-growth polymerization involves initiation, propagation, and termination steps. In the initiation step, a nucleophilic anion, such as butyl lithium, initiates the polymerization process by attacking the π bond of the vinylic monomer. As a result, a carbanion, stabilized by the electron‐withdrawing group, is generated. The resulting carbanion acts as a Michael donor in the propagation step and attacks the second vinylic monomer, which acts as a Michael acceptor.
Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes02:35

Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes

The conversion of alkenes to macromolecules called polymers is a reaction of high commercial importance. The structure of the polymer is defined by a repeating unit, while the terminal groups are considered insignificant. The average degree of polymerization represents the number of repeating units in the polymer molecule and is denoted by the subscript n.
Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:03

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

Step-growth or condensation polymerization is a stepwise reaction of bi or multifunctional monomers to form long-chain polymers. As all the monomers are reactive, most of the monomers are consumed at the early stages of the reaction to form small chains of reactive oligomers, which then combine to form long polymer chains in the late stages. Hence, the reaction has to proceed for a long time to achieve high molecular weight polymers.
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...
ATP and Macromolecule Synthesis01:28

ATP and Macromolecule Synthesis

Biological macromolecules are organic compounds, predominantly composed of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are covalently bonded with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and other minor elements. There are four major biological macromolecule classes: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Most macromolecules are composed of single subunits, or building blocks, called monomers. The monomers combine with each other using covalent bonds to form larger molecules known as polymers.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers
11:42

Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers

Published on: June 20, 2019

Enzymatically triggered self-assembly of block copolymers.

Roey J Amir1, Sheng Zhong, Darrin J Pochan

  • 1Materials Research Laboratory and Department of Materials, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA. ramir@mrl.ucsb.edu

Journal of the American Chemical Society
|September 11, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Enzymatic activation of polymers transforms water-soluble materials into amphiphilic ones, enabling controlled self-assembly into nanostructures for advanced applications.

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Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Biomaterials Science
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Double-hydrophilic block copolymers are synthesized using vinyl monomers and cleavable enzymatic substrates.
  • These copolymers are initially water-soluble.
  • Enzymatic activation is a key trigger for material property changes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the enzymatic transformation of double-hydrophilic block copolymers.
  • To explore the self-assembly of activated copolymers into nanostructures.
  • To highlight potential applications of enzyme-triggered material changes.

Main Methods:

  • Polymerization of vinyl monomers with enzymatic substrates.
  • Enzymatic activation of resulting diblock copolymers.
  • Characterization of copolymer properties and self-assembly behavior.

Main Results:

  • Enzymatic activation renders initially water-soluble copolymers amphiphilic.
  • Activated copolymers self-assemble into colloidal nanostructures.
  • This process allows for controlled changes in material characteristics.

Conclusions:

  • Enzymatic activation provides a method to control polymer properties and nanostructure formation.
  • This approach enables novel applications like enzyme-triggered surface activation and in vivo nanostructure formation.