Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution

Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution

For any given polymer, the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is higher than, if not equal to, the number average molecular weight (Mn). The only situation in which the weight average molecular weight and the number average molecular weight are equal is when a polymer consists only of chains with equal molecular weight. However, this never happens in a synthetic polymer, since it is difficult to control the polymerization process up to a molecular level with accuracy to a hundred percent.

Determination of Molar Masses of Polymers I

Determination of Molar Masses of Polymers I

Polymerization produces macromolecules with a range of chain lengths due to the random nature of molecular growth processes. As chains form and terminate at different stages, a single polymer sample contains molecules of varying sizes rather than a uniform structure. This variability is described using average molar masses and distribution-related parameters, which together provide a comprehensive understanding of polymer characteristics.The distribution of molar masses plays a critical role in...

Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity

Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity

Polymerization generates chiral centers along the entire backbone of a polymer chain. Accordingly, the stereochemistry of the substituent group has a significant effect on polymer properties. Polymers formed from monosubstituted alkene monomers feature chiral carbons at every alternate position in the polymer backbone. Relative to the predominant orientation of substituents at the adjacent chiral carbons, the polymer can exist in three different configurations: isotactic, syndiotactic, and...

Polymer Classification: Crystallinity

Polymer Classification: Crystallinity

Unlike ionic or small covalent molecules, polymers do not form crystalline solids due to the diffusion limitations of their long-chain structures. However, polymers contain microscopic crystalline domains separated by amorphous domains.
Crystalline domains are the regions where polymer chains are aligned in an orderly manner and held together in proximity by intermolecular forces. For example, chains in the crystalline domains of polyethylene and nylon are bound together by van der Waals...

Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers

Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers

Step growth polymerization involves bi or multifunctional monomers. Bifunctional monomers react to form linear step growth polymers, whereas multifunctional monomers react to form non-linear or branched polymers.
As the step-growth polymerization involves step-wise condensation of monomers, the molecular weight also builds up eventually. Consequently, high molecular weight polymers are obtained at the late stages of the polymerization, where 99% of monomers have been consumed.
The extent of the...

Determination of Molar Masses of Polymers II

Determination of Molar Masses of Polymers II

Polymer samples typically consist of macromolecular chains with a distribution of lengths, resulting in a range of molar masses rather than a single discrete value. Conventional descriptors such as the number-average molar mass and weight-average molar mass quantify this distribution but do not fully capture polymer behavior in solution..The viscosity-average molar mass provides a more realistic description of polymer behavior in solution because it accounts for the enhanced contribution of...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Classical Density Functional Treatment of Polydisperse Polarizable Clusters.

The journal of physical chemistry. B·2026

Same author

Polyampholyte model of ion clusters: Double-layer interactions in the presence of dissociated simple salt.

The Journal of chemical physics·2026

Same author

Solvent-induced ion clusters generate long-ranged double-layer forces at high ionic strengths.

Soft matter·2025

Same author

Exceptionally Strong Double-Layer Barriers Generated by Polyampholyte Salt.

The journal of physical chemistry. B·2025

Same author

On the existence of prewetting in supracritical fluid mixtures.

Soft matter·2025

Same author

Strong electrostatic attraction drives milk heteroprotein complex coacervation.

International journal of biological macromolecules·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 25, 2026

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level

Published on: September 26, 2016

Polydisperse telechelic polymers at interfaces: analytic results and density functional theory.

Jan Forsman¹, Clifford E Woodward

¹Theoretical Chemistry, Chemical Centre, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. j.forsman@teokem.lu.se

Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids

|January 26, 2012

Summary

We reveal a new surface adsorption transition for ideal telechelic polymers, applicable to understanding polymer interactions and interfacial properties, even with polydispersity.

More Related Videos

Interfacial Molecular-level Structures of Polymers and Biomacromolecules Revealed via Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy

Interfacial Molecular-level Structures of Polymers and Biomacromolecules Revealed via Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy

Published on: August 13, 2019

Self-assembling Morphologies Obtained from Helical Polycarbodiimide Copolymers and Their Triazole Derivatives

Self-assembling Morphologies Obtained from Helical Polycarbodiimide Copolymers and Their Triazole Derivatives

Published on: February 7, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 25, 2026

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level

Published on: September 26, 2016

Interfacial Molecular-level Structures of Polymers and Biomacromolecules Revealed via Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy

Interfacial Molecular-level Structures of Polymers and Biomacromolecules Revealed via Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy

Published on: August 13, 2019

Self-assembling Morphologies Obtained from Helical Polycarbodiimide Copolymers and Their Triazole Derivatives

Self-assembling Morphologies Obtained from Helical Polycarbodiimide Copolymers and Their Triazole Derivatives

Published on: February 7, 2017

Area of Science:

Polymer physics
Soft matter science
Surface chemistry

Background:

Telechelic polymers possess functional groups at chain ends, influencing interfacial behavior.
Schulz-Flory distribution describes polymer molecular weight variations.
Continuum theory offers a simplified yet powerful approach to complex polymer systems.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate interfacial properties of telechelic polymers with polydispersity using continuum theory.
To identify and characterize novel adsorption transitions in these systems.
To analyze polymer-mediated forces between colloidal particles.

Main Methods:

Application of a recently developed continuum theory.
Exact treatment of interfacial properties for polymers with Schulz-Flory polydispersity.
Derivation of closed expressions using the Derjaguin approximation for polymer chains between spheres.
Comparison with polymer density functional theory.

Main Results:

Compact results derived from equilibrium, ideal polymer properties at interfaces.
Identification of a new surface adsorption transition for ideal telechelic chains with a central equilibrium polymer block.
Significant variations in polymer-mediated forces observed due to polydispersity, molecular weight, and chain stiffness.

Conclusions:

The study provides new insights into the interfacial behavior of polydisperse telechelic polymers.
A novel surface adsorption transition is identified, particularly in the strong end adsorption limit.
The findings highlight the critical role of polymer characteristics in dictating colloidal interactions.