Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:20

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

1.8K
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,...
1.8K
Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism00:57

Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

2.1K
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...
2.1K
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism01:04

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

1.7K
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...
1.7K
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism01:09

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

2.9K
The radical chain-growth polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination of polymerization. The polymerization initiates when a free radical generated from the radical initiator adds to the unsaturated bond in the monomer. The unpaired electron of the free radical and one π electron in the unsaturated bond creates a σ bond between the free radical and the monomer. As a result, the other π electron in the unsaturated bond converts this...
2.9K
Polymers02:34

Polymers

32.4K
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...
32.4K
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP)01:16

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP)

2.3K
Ring-opening metathesis polymerization or ROMP involves strained cycloalkenes as starting materials. The mechanism of ROMP proceeds by reacting cycloalkene with Grubbs catalyst to give metallacyclobutane intermediate which undergoes a ring-opening reaction to form new carbene. The new carbene reacts with another molecule of cycloalkene. Repetition of these steps leads to the formation of an unsaturated open-chain polymer product. All these steps are reversible, however, relieving the ring...
2.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Controllable trajectories of magnetic microswimmers: Unraveling the role of rotational diffusivity and geomagnetic fields.

Physical review. E·2026
Same author

Effectiveness of <i>Virtual Baithak,</i> an mHealth intervention to improve eye health literacy for the older adults in India: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

BMJ open·2026
Same author

Evaluating trustworthiness in AI-Based diabetic retinopathy screening: addressing transparency, consent, and privacy challenges.

BMC medical ethics·2025
Same author

Technology Roadmap of Micro/Nanorobots.

ACS nano·2025
Same author

Kinetics of phase transition in nonreciprocal mixtures of passive and chemophoretically active particles.

The Journal of chemical physics·2025
Same author

Dynamics of quantum-classical systems in nonequilibrium environments.

The Journal of chemical physics·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 21, 2026

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level
06:55

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

Published on: September 26, 2016

7.6K

Ring closure dynamics for a chemically active polymer.

Debarati Sarkar1, Snigdha Thakur, Yu-Guo Tao

  • 1Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal, India. sthakur@iiserb.ac.in.

Soft Matter
|November 4, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Active polymer chains with catalytic beads use self-generated gradients for directed motion. This chemotactic response significantly speeds up ring closure and loop formation compared to passive chains.

More Related Videos

Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers
08:12

Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers

Published on: December 16, 2022

3.1K
Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals
10:35

Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals

Published on: May 29, 2018

8.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 21, 2026

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level
06:55

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

Published on: September 26, 2016

7.6K
Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers
08:12

Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers

Published on: December 16, 2022

3.1K
Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals
10:35

Novel Techniques for Observing Structural Dynamics of Photoresponsive Liquid Crystals

Published on: May 29, 2018

8.2K

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Chemical Physics
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Colloidal particle motion in concentration gradients is a fundamental physical process.
  • Chemically-powered synthetic nanomotors utilize self-generated gradients for propulsion.
  • Understanding these principles is key to designing novel active materials.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To design active polymer chains utilizing principles of colloidal motion and nanomotor propulsion.
  • To investigate the dynamical properties of these active polymer chains, particularly ring closure and loop formation.
  • To explore the potential of chemically-powered active motion in synthetic systems for complex transport tasks.

Main Methods:

  • Designing active polymer chains with catalytic and noncatalytic monomers (beads).
  • Utilizing a chemical reaction at a catalytic bead to create a self-generated concentration gradient.
  • Employing a diffusiophoretic mechanism for the noncatalytic bead to respond to the gradient.

Main Results:

  • Active polymer chains exhibit significantly different dynamical properties compared to inactive chains.
  • Ring closure and loop formation are substantially more rapid in active chains.
  • The self-generated concentration gradient and chemotactic response drive directed motion.

Conclusions:

  • Chemically-powered active motion and chemotaxis can be utilized to design synthetic systems with enhanced transport capabilities.
  • This mechanism offers a synthetic analogue to biological molecular motors for complex reaction dynamics.
  • The presented approach can be extended to other chemical systems relying on diffusion for reagent contact.