Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Classification and Mechanical Properties of Synthetic Polymers

Classification and Mechanical Properties of Synthetic Polymers

Synthetic polymers are classified as elastomers, fibers, or plastics based on their crystallinity. Crystallinity, the degree of long-range order in the solid state, influences the mechanical properties (stretching or contracting) of elastomers. Elastomers are flexible polymers that can expand or contract easily upon the application of an external force. They have numerous crosslinks that pull them back into their original shape when stress is removed. Silicones, for instance, are highly elastic...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Mobile Grafts Allow Polymers to Escape Confinement.

ACS macro letters·2026

Same author

Direct Measurements of Colloid Crystal Nucleation Barriers and Rates Comply with <i>A Priori</i> Classical Theory Predictions.

The journal of physical chemistry letters·2026

Same author

Nanoscale Interfacial Organization Governs Maturation and Collapse in Passive versus Active Condensates.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026

Same author

BARCODE: high throughput screening and analysis of soft active materials.

Nature communications·2025

Same author

Incorporation of Collagen into <i>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</i>, <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, and <i>Burkholderia pseudomallei</i> Biofilms Modifies Their Viscoelasticity and Resistance against Phagocytosis.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2025

Same author

Rigidity Governs Entrainment of Bacteria Cells in Biopolymer Scaffolds.

ACS biomaterials science & engineering·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Composite Scaffolds of Interfacial Polyelectrolyte Fibers for Temporally Controlled Release of Biomolecules

Composite Scaffolds of Interfacial Polyelectrolyte Fibers for Temporally Controlled Release of Biomolecules

Published on: August 19, 2015

Biosynthetic Polyelectrolyte Composites Exhibit Tunable Scale-Dependent Mechanics Governed by Entanglements.

Farshad Safi Samghabadi¹, Ashlee D McGovern², Peter Edimeh¹

¹Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, Texas 77204, United States.

ACS Macro Letters

|November 21, 2025

Summary

Researchers created DNA-polymer composites with tunable properties. These advanced materials offer enhanced dynamic range and responsiveness for applications in energy storage and drug delivery.

More Related Videos

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers

Published on: October 25, 2017

Reconstituting and Characterizing Actin-Microtubule Composites with Tunable Motor-Driven Dynamics and Mechanics

Reconstituting and Characterizing Actin-Microtubule Composites with Tunable Motor-Driven Dynamics and Mechanics

Published on: August 25, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Composite Scaffolds of Interfacial Polyelectrolyte Fibers for Temporally Controlled Release of Biomolecules

Composite Scaffolds of Interfacial Polyelectrolyte Fibers for Temporally Controlled Release of Biomolecules

Published on: August 19, 2015

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers

Published on: October 25, 2017

Reconstituting and Characterizing Actin-Microtubule Composites with Tunable Motor-Driven Dynamics and Mechanics

Reconstituting and Characterizing Actin-Microtubule Composites with Tunable Motor-Driven Dynamics and Mechanics

Published on: August 25, 2022

Area of Science:

Polymer Science
Materials Science
Biophysics

Background:

Biological DNA and synthetic polymers are key components in advanced materials.
Understanding their composite behavior is crucial for developing novel applications.
Tuning physical properties of polymer composites is essential for specific functionalities.

Purpose of the Study:

To engineer miscible composites of DNA and sodium poly(styrenesulfonate) with tunable physical properties.
To investigate the influence of DNA fraction and ionic strength on composite dynamics.
To explore the potential of these composites in applications like energy storage and drug delivery.

Main Methods:

Formation of interpenetrating polymer networks of DNA and synthetic polymers.
Characterization of solution properties across semidilute to entangled regimes.
Analysis of viscosity and dynamics at varying DNA concentrations and ionic strengths.

Main Results:

DNA entanglement concentration dictates the transition from semidilute to entangled dynamics.
Viscosity transitions from polyelectrolyte to good solvent scaling with increasing DNA fraction and ionic strength.
Short spatiotemporal dynamics consistently follow theta-solvent scaling.

Conclusions:

Combining biological DNA and synthetic polyelectrolytes allows independent tuning of key properties.
This approach enables engineering of polymer composites with broad dynamic range and responsiveness.
Potential applications include advanced energy storage and targeted drug delivery systems.