Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

ATP and Macromolecule Synthesis01:28

ATP and Macromolecule Synthesis

5.2K
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...
5.2K
Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:17

Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

3.2K
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...
3.2K
Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:03

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

3.4K
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...
3.4K
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:20

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

2.1K
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,...
2.1K
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:10

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

2.4K
Chain-growth or addition polymerization is successive addition reactions of monomers with a polymer chain. In radical chain-growth polymerization, the reaction proceeds via a free-radical intermediate. The free radical is formed from radical initiators, which spontaneously generate free radicals by homolytic fission. Organic peroxides (such as dibenzoyl peroxide, as shown in Figure 1) or azo compounds are popular radical initiators. A low concentration ratio of radical initiator to monomer is...
2.4K
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism01:09

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

2.5K
The radical chain-growth polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination of polymerization. The polymerization initiates when a free radical generated from the radical initiator adds to the unsaturated bond in the monomer. The unpaired electron of the free radical and one π electron in the unsaturated bond creates a σ bond between the free radical and the monomer. As a result, the other π electron in the unsaturated bond converts this...
2.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Dual detection and novel genotypes of <i>Giardia</i> and <i>Leishmania</i> in <i>Ochotona curzoniae</i> from Zoige County, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Frontiers in veterinary science·2026
Same author

Combined biochemical and genetic analysis improves early diagnosis and prenatal assessment of multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency.

World journal of pediatrics : WJP·2026
Same author

Dual-symmetry-guided assembly of complex lattices.

Nature·2026
Same author

Programmable Deformation of DNA Nanostructures: Mastering Size and Topology for Tailored Mechanics.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2026
Same author

Intranasal Conformal Patch for Sustained Levodopa Delivery and Reactive Oxygen Species Scavenging in Parkinson's Disease.

ACS nano·2026
Same author

Nanomaterial signatures program biomolecular condensates via triphasic separation for chemoplasticity remodeling.

Nature communications·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2025

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers
08:00

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers

Published on: October 25, 2017

6.9K

Activity-driven polymer knotting for macromolecular topology engineering.

Jia-Xiang Li1,2, Song Wu1, Li-Li Hao3

  • 1National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures and School of Physics, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, People's Republic of China.

Science Advances
|November 29, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Knots can be efficiently created in active polymer systems through self-knotting and migration. These active polymers can then be used to engineer knots in other polymers, opening new avenues in macromolecular topology.

More Related Videos

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level
06:55

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level

Published on: September 26, 2016

7.8K
Self-assembling Morphologies Obtained from Helical Polycarbodiimide Copolymers and Their Triazole Derivatives
09:22

Self-assembling Morphologies Obtained from Helical Polycarbodiimide Copolymers and Their Triazole Derivatives

Published on: February 7, 2017

7.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 6, 2025

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers
08:00

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers

Published on: October 25, 2017

6.9K
Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level
06:55

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level

Published on: September 26, 2016

7.8K
Self-assembling Morphologies Obtained from Helical Polycarbodiimide Copolymers and Their Triazole Derivatives
09:22

Self-assembling Morphologies Obtained from Helical Polycarbodiimide Copolymers and Their Triazole Derivatives

Published on: February 7, 2017

7.8K

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Soft Matter Physics
  • Materials Science

Background:

  • Macromolecules can exhibit unique properties when adopting knotted structures.
  • Engineering specific macromolecular knots remains a significant challenge in polymer science.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the efficient generation of knots in active polymer systems.
  • To explore the potential of active polymers in macromolecular topology engineering.

Main Methods:

  • Simulating actively reptative polymers with one anchored end.
  • Analyzing the effects of giant conformation fluctuations and reptative motion on knot formation.
  • Investigating the behavior of active polymers grafted onto passive polymers.

Main Results:

  • Active polymer systems unexpectedly generate knots efficiently through self-knotting.
  • Formed knots migrate to the anchoring point via a nonequilibrium ratchet effect.
  • Active polymers act as self-propelling soft needles, transferring or braiding knots onto passive polymers.
  • Intermolecular bridging knots can be created between passive polymers using active needles.

Conclusions:

  • Nonequilibrium effects are crucial for modifying polymer system dynamics and enabling knot engineering.
  • Active polymer systems offer a novel approach for controlled macromolecular topology.
  • This work has potential applications in advanced materials and nanotechnology.