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Related Concept Videos

Polymers02:34

Polymers

35.8K
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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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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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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Updated: Jul 11, 2025

Fabricating Degradable Thermoresponsive Hydrogels on Multiple Length Scales via Reactive Extrusion, Microfluidics, Self-assembly, and Electrospinning
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Polymer Hydrogels and Frontal Polymerization: A Winning Coupling.

Alberto Mariani1,2, Giulio Malucelli2,3

  • 1Department of Chemical, Physical, Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Sassari, Via Vienna 2, 07100 Sassari, Italy.

Polymers
|November 14, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Frontal polymerization (FP) offers an efficient method for creating polymer hydrogels, which are crucial for biomedical applications. This technique simplifies synthesis, reduces reaction times, and consumes less energy compared to traditional methods.

Keywords:
applicationsfrontal polymerizationhydrogelsstructure–property relationships

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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science and Engineering
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Biomedical Engineering

Background:

  • Polymer hydrogels are essential 3D networks for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications, including drug delivery and tissue regeneration.
  • Traditional batch polymerization methods for hydrogel synthesis are well-established but can be time-consuming and energy-intensive.
  • There is a growing need for alternative synthesis routes offering simpler processes, shorter reaction times, and reduced energy consumption.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent research on the design, preparation, and application of polymer hydrogels synthesized using frontal polymerization (FP).
  • To demonstrate the viability of FP as an efficient technique for creating functional 3D polymer networks.
  • To provide future perspectives on FP-derived hydrogels.

Main Methods:

  • Utilizes frontal polymerization (FP), a self-sustaining and propagating reaction model.
  • Involves the formation and propagation of a localized 'hot' polymerization front through a monomer mixture.
  • Focuses on the synthesis and characterization of FP-derived polymeric hydrogels.

Main Results:

  • FP enables the efficient conversion of monomers into polymer hydrogels.
  • The technique allows for localized and self-sustaining polymerization fronts.
  • FP-derived hydrogels show promise for various functional applications.

Conclusions:

  • Frontal polymerization is a feasible and efficient alternative for synthesizing polymer hydrogels.
  • FP offers advantages in terms of reaction simplicity, speed, and energy efficiency.
  • FP-derived hydrogels represent a promising area for future advancements in materials science and biomedical applications.