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

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers01:24

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers

3.6K
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...
3.6K
Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity01:26

Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity

3.5K
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...
3.5K
Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:03

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

4.8K
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...
4.8K
Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers01:08

Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers

3.0K
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...
3.0K
Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:17

Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

4.3K
Ziegler–Natta polymerization is another form of addition or chain‐growth polymerization used for synthesizing linear polymers over branched polymers. The catalyst used for polymerization is the Ziegler–Natta catalyst, named after Karl Ziegler and Giulio Natta, who developed it in 1953. This catalyst is an organometallic complex of titanium tetrachloride and triethyl aluminum, with the active form of the catalyst being an alkyl titanium compound. Using the Ziegler–Natta...
4.3K
Polymers02:34

Polymers

43.5K
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...
43.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Pressure dependence of surface tension of polymer melts under high vacuum.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

A Recyclable Polythioester With α-Gem-Dimethyl Substitution: Instantaneous Crystallization Triggered by Large and Rapid Stretching.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2026
Same author

Self-assembly of inverted phases in AB/CD diblock copolymer blends.

The Journal of chemical physics·2025
Same author

Luminescent Liquid Crystalline Elastomer Promoted Self-Adaptive Smart Active Optical Waveguide with Ultra-Low Optical Loss.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2025
Same author

Phase behavior of x-shaped liquid crystalline macromolecules.

The Journal of chemical physics·2025
Same author

Uniform Single-Domain Liquid Crystalline Hexagonal Rods by Synchronized Polymerization and Self-Assembly Using Disc-Shaped Monomers.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 15, 2026

Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by π-π Stacking Interactions
10:53

Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by π-π Stacking Interactions

Published on: October 10, 2016

14.7K

Regulating block copolymer phases via selective homopolymers.

Shuang Yang1, Zhen Lei1, Nan Hu1

  • 1Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering and Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.

The Journal of Chemical Physics
|April 3, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Adding C homopolymers to AB diblock copolymers induces phase transitions. The specific transitions depend on block composition, driven by A/C complexation, influencing morphology from lamellar to spherical structures.

More Related Videos

Using Polystyrene-block-polyacrylic acid-coated Metal Nanoparticles as Monomers for Their Homo- and Co-polymerization
09:02

Using Polystyrene-block-polyacrylic acid-coated Metal Nanoparticles as Monomers for Their Homo- and Co-polymerization

Published on: July 9, 2015

13.0K
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

8.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 15, 2026

Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by π-π Stacking Interactions
10:53

Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by π-π Stacking Interactions

Published on: October 10, 2016

14.7K
Using Polystyrene-block-polyacrylic acid-coated Metal Nanoparticles as Monomers for Their Homo- and Co-polymerization
09:02

Using Polystyrene-block-polyacrylic acid-coated Metal Nanoparticles as Monomers for Their Homo- and Co-polymerization

Published on: July 9, 2015

13.0K
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

8.4K

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Science
  • Materials Science
  • Theoretical Chemistry

Background:

  • Diblock copolymers exhibit complex phase behavior.
  • Selective homopolymers can modify copolymer morphologies.
  • Understanding these interactions is crucial for materials design.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To theoretically investigate the phase behavior of AB diblock copolymer and C homopolymer blends.
  • To analyze the impact of homopolymer content on order-order phase transitions.
  • To explore the role of A/C complexation in dictating morphology.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing strong stretching theory (SST) for analytical insights.
  • Employing self-consistent field theory (SCFT) for numerical simulations.
  • Examining blends of strongly segregated AB diblock copolymers and selective C homopolymers.

Main Results:

  • For majority A-blocks, C homopolymers induce lamellar to cylindrical to spherical phase transitions.
  • For minor A-blocks, C homopolymers drive transitions from A-rich core morphologies to lamellae and then to B-rich core morphologies.
  • Phase behavior is insensitive to the molecular weight of the C homopolymer.

Conclusions:

  • The addition of selective homopolymers significantly alters diblock copolymer phase diagrams.
  • A/C complexation is a key driver for observed morphological transitions.
  • SST and SCFT provide comparable predictions, with deviations at extreme compositions.