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

Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism00:57

Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

2.7K
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...
2.7K
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism01:04

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

2.3K
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...
2.3K
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)00:53

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)

2.1K
Acyclic diene metathesis polymerization or ADMET polymerization involves cross-metathesis of terminal dienes, such as 1,8-nonadiene, to give linear unsaturated polymer and ethylene. As ADMET is a reversible process, the formed ethylene gas must be removed from the reaction mixture to complete the polymerization process.
Similar to cross-metathesis, ADMET also involves the formation of metallacyclobutane intermediate by [2+2] cycloaddition of one of the double bonds of a terminal diene with...
2.1K
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:20

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

2.4K
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,...
2.4K
Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:17

Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

3.7K
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...
3.7K
Hydrolysis01:15

Hydrolysis

120.0K
Overview
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction in which the addition of water breaks down a polymer into its simpler monomer units. For example, peptides break into amino acids, carbohydrates into simple sugars, and DNA into nucleotides. Enzymes often facilitate these processes.
Hydrolysis Reverses Dehydration Synthesis
Complex carbohydrates can be broken down by breaking the bonds between individual sugar units. The reaction breaks a glycosidic bond as water is added to the compound. The...
120.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Mechanophore cross-linking enhances ballistic energy dissipation of polymers.

Nature·2026
Same author

Extending BigSMILES to Include Topological Bonds.

ACS macro letters·2026
Same author

Red-Light-Induced PET-RAFT Polymerization to Afford (Meth)acrylamide-Based Poly(<i>N</i>‑oxide) and Other Hydrophilic Polymers Featuring Neutral, Cationic, and Zwitterionic Groups as Solubilizing Side Chains.

Macromolecules·2026
Same author

Force-Accelerated Ring Opening of Episulfide by Pulsed Ultrasonication.

Macromolecules·2026
Same author

3D culture reveals dual role of ICAM-1 in mediating tissue-specific human MSC spheroid formation & enhanced immunomodulation.

Biomaterials·2026
Same author

Optimizing the Stability of Viral Nanoparticles: Engineering Strategies, Applications, and the Emerging Concept of the Virophore.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 6, 2025

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer
10:22

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer

Published on: November 30, 2020

3.8K

Enhanced polymer mechanical degradation through mechanochemically unveiled lactonization.

Yangju Lin1, Tatiana B Kouznetsova2, Chia-Chih Chang2

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA. yangju.lin@duke.edu.

Nature Communications
|October 6, 2020
PubMed
Summary

New polymer design uses a bicyclooctene (BCOE) mechanophore to trigger delayed, cascade chain scission. This enhanced mechanical degradation significantly reduces molecular weight, enabling programmed obsolescence in materials.

More Related Videos

Microwave-assisted Functionalization of Polyethylene glycol and On-resin Peptides for Use in Chain Polymerizations and Hydrogel Formation
15:33

Microwave-assisted Functionalization of Polyethylene glycol and On-resin Peptides for Use in Chain Polymerizations and Hydrogel Formation

Published on: October 29, 2013

29.5K
A Facile and Eco-friendly Route to Fabricate PolyLactic Acid Scaffolds with Graded Pore Size
13:46

A Facile and Eco-friendly Route to Fabricate PolyLactic Acid Scaffolds with Graded Pore Size

Published on: October 17, 2016

9.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 6, 2025

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer
10:22

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer

Published on: November 30, 2020

3.8K
Microwave-assisted Functionalization of Polyethylene glycol and On-resin Peptides for Use in Chain Polymerizations and Hydrogel Formation
15:33

Microwave-assisted Functionalization of Polyethylene glycol and On-resin Peptides for Use in Chain Polymerizations and Hydrogel Formation

Published on: October 29, 2013

29.5K
A Facile and Eco-friendly Route to Fabricate PolyLactic Acid Scaffolds with Graded Pore Size
13:46

A Facile and Eco-friendly Route to Fabricate PolyLactic Acid Scaffolds with Graded Pore Size

Published on: October 17, 2016

9.0K

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Mechanochemistry

Background:

  • Mechanical degradation of polymers is typically limited to single chain scission events.
  • This limits the extent of degradation achievable due to loss of stress transfer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report a novel mechanophore for enhanced polymer degradation.
  • To investigate a delayed, cascade chain scission mechanism initiated by mechanical force.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a [4.2.0]bicyclooctene (BCOE) mechanophore within a polymer copolymer.
  • Applied ultrasonication to induce mechanical remodeling and trigger ring-opening.
  • Employed single molecule force spectroscopy to probe force-coupled kinetics.
  • Analyzed molecular weight changes over time.

Main Results:

  • Mechanically triggered ring-opening of BCOE initiated a delayed, force-free cascade lactonization.
  • Ultrasonication of a 120 kDa BCOE copolymer led to a gradual decrease in molecular weight to 4.4 kDa over days.
  • Achieved >10x greater molecular weight reduction compared to control polymers where lactonization was blocked.

Conclusions:

  • Delayed scission via cascade lactonization offers a strategy for enhanced mechanical degradation.
  • This approach enables controlled degradation and potential programmed obsolescence in structural polymers.