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Related Concept Videos

Polymer Classification: Architecture01:14

Polymer Classification: Architecture

3.1K
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...
3.1K
Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution01:10

Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution

3.8K
For any given polymer, the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is higher than, if not equal to, the number average molecular weight (Mn). The only situation in which the weight average molecular weight and the number average molecular weight are equal is when a polymer consists only of chains with equal molecular weight. However, this never happens in a synthetic polymer, since it is difficult to control the polymerization process up to a molecular level with accuracy to a hundred percent.
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Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers01:08

Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers

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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...
2.3K
Polymers: Defining Molecular Weight01:01

Polymers: Defining Molecular Weight

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Unlike small molecules with definite molecular weights, polymers are a mixture of individual polymer chains of varying lengths, each with a unique molecular weight.  So, the molecular weight of a polymer is expressed as an average value based on the average size of the polymer chains. The two most common forms of averages used for polymers are the number average molecular weight and weight average molecular weight.
The number average molecular weight (Mn) is the summation of the number...
3.2K
Characteristics and Nomenclature of Homopolymers01:00

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Homopolymers

3.3K
Polymers that are made up of identical monomer units are called homopolymers. Only one repeating unit is involved in the construction of the homopolymer structure. For example, as depicted in Figure 1, polypropylene is a homopolymer constituted of propylene monomers. Here, the only repeating unit in the polymer chain is propylene.
3.3K
Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers01:24

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers

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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...
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DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers
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Nanopore-Based Characterization of Branched Polymers.

Takahiro Sakaue1, Françoise Brochard-Wyart2

  • 1Department of Physics, Kyushu University 33, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan.

ACS Macro Letters
|May 20, 2022
PubMed
Summary

We developed a new method to characterize branched polymers using nanochannels. The polymer

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Science
  • Nanotechnology
  • Physical Chemistry

Background:

  • Characterizing complex polymer structures like randomly branched polymers is challenging.
  • Understanding polymer architecture is crucial for predicting material properties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To introduce a novel method for characterizing randomly branched polymers.
  • To leverage geometrical properties of polymers in confined spaces for analysis.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizing nanochannels to confine randomly branched polymers.
  • Observing the passing/clogging transition of polymers through nanochannels of varying sizes.
  • Correlating the critical channel size of the transition with the polymer's branching degree.

Main Results:

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Engineering Molecular Recognition with Bio-mimetic Polymers on Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes
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  • Demonstrated a clear passing/clogging transition for randomly branched polymers in nanochannels.
  • Established that the critical channel size for this transition is dependent on the degree of polymer branching.
  • Showcased the ability to extract molecular branching information from this transition.

Conclusions:

  • The proposed method offers a novel way to characterize polymer branching.
  • Geometrical properties in confined spaces provide valuable insights into polymer architecture.
  • This technique allows for the determination of branching information of randomly branched polymers.