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

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
Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers01:08

Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers

2.1K
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...
2.1K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Skin-interfaced microfluidic capsule and portable lab-on-a-disc platform for sweat-based monitoring of prenatal nutrient balance.

Nature biomedical engineering·2026
Same author

Targeting Lactate-Driven Stromal Autophagy via MCT1 Disrupts the Immunosuppressive Niche and Sensitizes Pancreatic Cancer to PD-1 Blockade.

Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)·2026
Same author

Loss of foxp3a drives sex-specific immune-metabolic remodeling across the gut-liver-gonad axis in zebrafish.

Fish & shellfish immunology·2026
Same author

Fusobacterium nucleatum Promotes Exosomal LncRNA MANCR Secretion from Colorectal Cancer Cells to Induce PD-L1 Expression in Macrophages.

Cancer research·2026
Same author

Indoor thermoregulatory homeostasis using hydrodynamic instability.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Early Individualized Psychological Intervention Using Virtual Reality-assisted Decision System Reduces Decisional Conflict in Patients with Pulmonary Nodules: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology·2026
Same journal

The BRCA1-A complex restricts replication fork reversal-dependent DNA repair in ATM deficient cells.

Nature communications·2026
Same journal

Signaling downstream of tumor-stroma interaction regulates mucinous colorectal adenocarcinoma apicobasal polarity.

Nature communications·2026
Same journal

Click-polymerized polyenamine membranes for efficient lithium extraction.

Nature communications·2026
Same journal

Joint trajectories of brain atrophy, white matter hyperintensities and cognition quantify brain maintenance.

Nature communications·2026
Same journal

Proton shuttling at electrochemical interfaces under alkaline hydrogen evolution.

Nature communications·2026
Same journal

metilene<sup>3</sup>: identifying DMRs across multiple conditions with auto-classification.

Nature communications·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 24, 2025

Microfluidic Fabrication of Polymeric and Biohybrid Fibers with Predesigned Size and Shape
07:38

Microfluidic Fabrication of Polymeric and Biohybrid Fibers with Predesigned Size and Shape

Published on: January 8, 2014

8.4K

Controlled macroscopic shape evolution of self-growing polymeric materials.

Xinhong Xiong1,2, Xiaozhuang Zhou1,2, Haohui Zhang3

  • 1Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

Nature Communications
|March 3, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed a new method for synthetic materials to grow and change shape, mimicking living organisms. This controlled polymerization technique allows materials to transform from flat squares into spheres and other complex forms.

More Related Videos

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
Fabrication of a Bioactive, PCL-based "Self-fitting" Shape Memory Polymer Scaffold
09:37

Fabrication of a Bioactive, PCL-based "Self-fitting" Shape Memory Polymer Scaffold

Published on: October 23, 2015

12.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 24, 2025

Microfluidic Fabrication of Polymeric and Biohybrid Fibers with Predesigned Size and Shape
07:38

Microfluidic Fabrication of Polymeric and Biohybrid Fibers with Predesigned Size and Shape

Published on: January 8, 2014

8.4K
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
Fabrication of a Bioactive, PCL-based "Self-fitting" Shape Memory Polymer Scaffold
09:37

Fabrication of a Bioactive, PCL-based "Self-fitting" Shape Memory Polymer Scaffold

Published on: October 23, 2015

12.6K

Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Soft Matter Physics

Background:

  • Living organisms grow by absorbing nutrients and integrating mass, enabling shape changes for adaptation.
  • Existing synthetic dynamic polymers often lack controlled global geometric transformation during growth.
  • Mimicking biological growth in synthetic materials remains a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a method for controlled, growth-induced shape transformation in synthetic materials.
  • To enable significant mass transport and reshaping through spatially controlled polymerization.
  • To create soft materials that can autonomously change shape during growth.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized anionic ring-opening polymerization (anionic ROP) of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) in silicone systems.
  • Employed a strong base catalyst to initiate and control polymerization.
  • Demonstrated shape transformation by applying monomer mixtures to specific sample areas.

Main Results:

  • Successfully transformed a flat square silicone sample into a sphere through controlled growth, without remolding.
  • Achieved precise control over the size and shape of growing polymeric objects.
  • Demonstrated modulation of mechanical properties, self-healing ability, and growth site availability.

Conclusions:

  • The developed method enables controlled, growth-induced shape transformation in synthetic materials via spatially controlled polymerization.
  • This approach offers a novel pathway for creating soft materials with tailored shapes and surface morphologies.
  • The technique provides a platform for designing materials that can autonomously adapt their form through mass transport and integration.