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Related Concept Videos

Polymers02:34

Polymers

38.2K
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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Synthetic Biology02:55

Synthetic Biology

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Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary science that involves using principles from disciplines such as engineering, molecular biology, cell biology, and systems biology. It involves remodeling existing organisms from nature or constructing completely new synthetic organisms for applications such as protein or enzyme production, bioremediation, value-added macromolecule production, and the addition of desirable traits to crops, to name a few.
Golden rice
Golden rice is a genetically modified...
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ATP and Macromolecule Synthesis01:28

ATP and Macromolecule Synthesis

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Biological macromolecules are organic compounds, predominantly composed of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are covalently bonded with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and other minor elements. There are four major biological macromolecule classes: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Most macromolecules are composed of single subunits, or building blocks, called monomers. The monomers combine with each other using covalent bonds to form larger molecules known as polymers.
Conversion of...
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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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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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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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Composite Scaffolds of Interfacial Polyelectrolyte Fibers for Temporally Controlled Release of Biomolecules
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Bioactive Synthetic Polymers.

Kenward Jung1, Nathaniel Corrigan1, Edgar H H Wong1

  • 1Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design (CAMD), Australian Centre for Nanomedicine (ACN), and School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.

Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)
|October 6, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

New bioactive synthetic polymers now mimic natural polymers, offering targeted biological functions like molecular recognition and therapeutic activities. This advancement bridges the gap between synthetic materials and biological applications.

Keywords:
anticancer polymersantimicrobial polymersantiviral polymersbioactive synthetic polymersmolecular recognition

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Area of Science:

  • Polymer Science
  • Biomaterials Science
  • Medicinal Chemistry

Background:

  • Synthetic polymers are widely used but typically lack specific biological functions and can elicit adverse responses.
  • Natural polymers are essential for life, performing critical biological roles like genetic information transmission and molecular recognition.
  • Historically, synthetic and natural polymers operate in separate domains due to the limited bioactivity of synthetic materials.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the emergence of novel synthetic polymers with specific biological functions.
  • To summarize the bioapplications of these advanced bioactive synthetic polymers.
  • To discuss future opportunities in the field of bioactive synthetic polymers.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent advancements in synthetic polymerization techniques.
  • Analysis of studies reporting synthetic polymers with targeted biological activities.
  • Compilation of data on the bioapplications of newly developed synthetic polymers.

Main Results:

  • Recent advancements have enabled the creation of synthetic polymers with specific biological functions.
  • These new polymers exhibit capabilities such as targeted peptide recognition, and antiviral, anticancer, and antimicrobial activities.
  • The development signifies a convergence of synthetic chemistry and biological applications.

Conclusions:

  • Bioactive synthetic polymers represent a significant breakthrough, bridging the gap between synthetic materials and biological systems.
  • These polymers hold immense potential for diverse bioapplications, including therapeutics and diagnostics.
  • Further research in this area promises innovative solutions for healthcare and biotechnology.