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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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Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:20

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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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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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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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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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Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism00:57

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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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Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level
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Discussion on "Aperiodic Copolymers".

Stuart J Rowan1, Christopher Barner-Kowollik2,3, Bert Klumperman4

  • 1Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 2100 Adelbert Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, United States.

ACS Macro Letters
|June 7, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Clearer naming is needed for macromolecules with specific, non-repeating monomer sequences. This viewpoint discusses the need for better nomenclature and proposes alternative terms for such aperiodic polymers.

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Area of Science:

  • Macromolecular chemistry
  • Polymer science
  • Nomenclature and terminology

Background:

  • The current nomenclature for macromolecules does not adequately describe polymers with defined, non-repeating monomer sequences.
  • A recent viewpoint proposed the term "aperiodic" for such macromolecules.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To comment on the necessity of improved nomenclature for macromolecules with prescribed, non-repeating monomer sequences.
  • To offer alternative terminology for consideration by the scientific community.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and critical analysis of existing nomenclature.
  • Discussion and proposal of alternative terms for macromolecular description.

Main Results:

  • The term "aperiodic" was proposed to address the lack of specific nomenclature for non-repeating polymer sequences.
  • Alternative nomenclature suggestions are presented for discussion.

Conclusions:

  • There is a clear need for more informative nomenclature in polymer science, particularly for aperiodic macromolecules.
  • The proposed alternatives aim to enhance clarity and precision in describing complex polymer structures.