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Related Concept Videos

Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism00:57

Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

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

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

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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...
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Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:10

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

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Chain-growth or addition polymerization is successive addition reactions of monomers with a polymer chain. In radical chain-growth polymerization, the reaction proceeds via a free-radical intermediate. The free radical is formed from radical initiators, which spontaneously generate free radicals by homolytic fission. Organic peroxides (such as dibenzoyl peroxide, as shown in Figure 1) or azo compounds are popular radical initiators. A low concentration ratio of radical initiator to monomer is...
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Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:20

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

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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,...
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Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism01:09

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

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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 species into...
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Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:03

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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...
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Updated: Nov 27, 2025

Reactive Inkjet Printing and Propulsion Analysis of Silk-based Self-propelled Micro-stirrers
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Self-Propulsion Enhances Polymerization.

Maximino Aldana1,2, Miguel Fuentes-Cabrera3,4, Martín Zumaya1,2

  • 1Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad s/n, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62210, Morelos, Mexico.

Entropy (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 8, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Self-propelled molecules assemble into polymers faster than non-self-propelled ones. Increasing self-propulsion force initially enhances polymer length, but excessive force leads to shorter polymers due to disruptive collisions.

Keywords:
polymerizationself-assemblyself-organizationself-propulsion

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Area of Science:

  • Physical Chemistry
  • Biophysics
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Self-assembly forms structures from microscopic constituents spontaneously.
  • Cellular molecule formation (e.g., proteins) is self-organization, requiring energy.
  • Active matter research merges self-assembly with self-organization using energy-driven particles.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how self-propulsion affects polymer assembly kinetics and structure.
  • To understand the role of energy input in molecular self-organization.
  • To explore the potential for active molecule assembly in prebiotic chemistry.

Main Methods:

  • Simulated assembly of self-propelled (active) and non-self-propelled polymer-like particles.
  • Analysis of assembly rates and resulting polymer lengths.
  • Investigated the influence of varying self-propulsion forces and bonding energies.

Main Results:

  • Self-propelled molecules assemble into polymers significantly faster than non-self-propelled ones.
  • Average polymer length increases with self-propulsion force up to an optimal point.
  • Higher forces lead to decreased average polymer length due to disruptive collisions, balancing bonding energy.

Conclusions:

  • Self-propulsion is a key factor that enhances the rate of polymer formation.
  • Active molecule assembly may have been crucial for forming prebiotic polymers, precursors to modern informational polymers.
  • This work bridges concepts of self-assembly and self-organization in active matter systems.