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Related Concept Videos

Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
Polymers02:34

Polymers

The word polymer is derived from the Greek words “poly” which means “many” and “mer” which means “parts”. Polymers are long chains of molecules composed of repeating units of smaller molecules, known as monomers. They either occur naturally, such as DNA and proteins, or can be constructed synthetically, like plastics. They have varied structural characteristics, such as linear chains, branched chains, or complex networks, that contribute to the properties that they exhibit. Additionally,...
Characteristics and Nomenclature of Homopolymers01:00

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Homopolymers

Polymers that are made up of identical monomer units are called homopolymers. Only one repeating unit is involved in the construction of the homopolymer structure. For example, as depicted in Figure 1, polypropylene is a homopolymer constituted of propylene monomers. Here, the only repeating unit in the polymer chain is propylene.
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...
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...

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A two-dimensional polymer prepared by organic synthesis.

Patrick Kissel1, Rolf Erni, W Bernd Schweizer

  • 1Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry, Institute of Polymers, Department of Materials, ETH Zurich, Wolfgang-Pauli-Strasse 10, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland.

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Researchers developed a novel method to synthesize two-dimensional polymers, extending the concept of linear polymerization. This breakthrough allows for the creation of large, ordered polymer sheets with potential for custom molecular design.

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Synthetic polymers are ubiquitous, with over 200 million tons produced annually, typically in linear or branched forms.
  • Existing two-dimensional polymers like graphene have synthesis limitations, hindering on-demand molecular design.
  • Extending Staudinger's polymerization concept to two dimensions is a significant challenge in macromolecular science.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce a novel method for synthesizing ordered, non-equilibrium two-dimensional polymers.
  • To overcome the limitations of existing two-dimensional polymer synthesis, enabling molecular design.
  • To create free-standing, monolayered molecular sheets of two-dimensional polymers beyond molecular dimensions.

Main Methods:

  • Rational design and synthesis of a specifically photoreactive monomer.
  • Crystallization of the monomer into a layered structure.
  • Photo-polymerization within the crystal lattice.
  • Solvent-induced delamination to isolate individual two-dimensional polymer sheets.

Main Results:

  • Successful synthesis of an ordered, non-equilibrium two-dimensional polymer.
  • Demonstration of a method to create polymer sheets significantly larger than molecular dimensions.
  • Isolation of free-standing, monolayered two-dimensional polymer sheets.

Conclusions:

  • This work presents a significant advancement in polymer science, enabling the creation of custom two-dimensional polymers.
  • The developed method offers a pathway for on-demand synthesis of advanced polymer materials.
  • The resulting two-dimensional polymers have potential applications in nanotechnology and materials science.