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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: Overview01:20

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

The polymerization process that involves carbanion as an intermediate is called anionic polymerization. It is also a type of addition or chain-growth polymerization. Anionic polymerization gets initiated by a strong nucleophile such as an organolithium or a Grignard reagent. The most commonly used initiator for anionic polymerization is butyl lithium. Monomers involved in anionic polymerization must possess a vinyl group bonded to one or two electron-withdrawing groups. For instance,...
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.
Classification and Mechanical Properties of Synthetic Polymers01:28

Classification and Mechanical Properties of Synthetic Polymers

Synthetic polymers are classified as elastomers, fibers, or plastics based on their crystallinity. Crystallinity, the degree of long-range order in the solid state, influences the mechanical properties (stretching or contracting) of elastomers. Elastomers are flexible polymers that can expand or contract easily upon the application of an external force. They have numerous crosslinks that pull them back into their original shape when stress is removed. Silicones, for instance, are highly elastic...
Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution01:10

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.

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Preparation of DNA-crosslinked Polyacrylamide Hydrogels
09:06

Preparation of DNA-crosslinked Polyacrylamide Hydrogels

Published on: August 27, 2014

Self-consistent field approach for cross-linked copolymer materials.

Friederike Schmid1

  • 1Institute of Physics, JGU Mainz, D-55099 Mainz, Germany.

Physical Review Letters
|July 30, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A new theory for polymer networks reveals that cross-links localize, characteristic of gels. This polymer network theory also shows order-disorder transitions shift and become first-order, especially under stress.

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Area of Science:

  • Polymer Physics
  • Materials Science
  • Soft Matter Physics

Background:

  • Polymer networks, particularly gels, exhibit unique properties due to their cross-linked structure.
  • Understanding the phase behavior, such as order-disorder transitions, is crucial for designing polymer materials.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a generalized self-consistent field (SCF) theory for polymer networks with fixed topology.
  • To investigate the influence of network structure on the order-disorder transition in end-linked diblock copolymer networks.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a generalized self-consistent field (SCF) approach.
  • Application of the SCF theory to analyze regular networks of end-linked diblock copolymers.
  • Investigation of the effects of the incompatibility parameter (χ) and applied stress.

Main Results:

  • The developed theory successfully reproduces the characteristic localization of cross-links in polymer gels.
  • The order-disorder transition in these networks shifts to lower incompatibility parameters (χ) compared to copolymer melts.
  • The transition becomes strongly first-order at the mean-field level and can be suppressed by applied stress.

Conclusions:

  • The generalized SCF theory provides a robust framework for studying polymer networks.
  • Network topology significantly influences phase transitions in block copolymers, favoring ordered states.
  • Applied stress can be used to tune or eliminate phase transitions in polymer networks.