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Polymer Classification: Architecture01:14

Polymer Classification: Architecture

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Polymers are classified as linear or branched on the basis of their chain architecture. The polymer chains in linear polymers have a long chain-like structure with minimal to no branching at all. Even if a polymer features large substituent groups on the monomer, which appear as branches to the skeleton, it is not considered a branched polymer. A branched polymer contains secondary polymer chains that arise from the main polymer chain. The branching occurs when the polymer growth shifts from...
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Polymers02:34

Polymers

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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...
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Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity01:26

Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity

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

Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

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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...
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Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:03

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

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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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Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters01:20

Types of Step-Growth Polymers: Polyesters

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The introduction of polyesters has brought major development to the textile industry. The wrinkle-free behavior of polyester blends has eliminated the need for starching and ironing clothes.
Polyesters are commonly prepared from terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol; the crude product is known as poly(ethylene terephthalate) or PET. However, polyesters are synthesized industrially by transesterification of dimethyl terephthalate with ethylene glycol at 150 °C. The two reactants and the...
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Updated: Oct 18, 2025

Manufacturing Of Robust Natural Fiber Preforms Utilizing Bacterial Cellulose as Binder
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Controlled Vertically Aligned Structures in Polymer Composites: Natural Inspiration, Structural Processing, and

Chuxin Lei1, Zilong Xie1, Kai Wu1

  • 1College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, P. R. China.

Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|September 30, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Vertically aligned structures in polymer composites offer enhanced performance and anisotropic functions. This review details their fabrication, configurations, and diverse applications in advanced materials.

Keywords:
multifunctional polymeric materialsnatural inspirationstructural processingvertically aligned structures

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Composites
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Vertically aligned structures (VAS) in polymer composites are crucial for advanced anisotropic functions and structural performance.
  • Recent decades show significant progress in VAS fabrication, morphological control, property enhancement, and applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a systematic review of vertically aligned structures in polymer composites.
  • To summarize configurations, processing methods, and applications of VAS.
  • To identify future research directions in multifunctional composites.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on vertically aligned structures.
  • Categorization of VAS configurations inspired by natural structures (e.g., honeycomb, reed).
  • Discussion of processing techniques including orientation transformation, external-field inducement, template methods, and 3D printing.

Main Results:

  • Detailed summary of various VAS configurations and their bio-inspired designs.
  • Comprehensive overview of processing methods for fabricating VAS.
  • Highlighting diverse applications in mechanical, thermal, electrical, and energy fields.

Conclusions:

  • Vertically aligned structures offer remarkable potential for advanced multifunctional composites.
  • Further research is needed to address current issues and explore new opportunities.
  • This review provides a foundation for future advancements in VAS research.