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Polymers

Polymers

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...

Polymers

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Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Application of a Coupling Agent to Improve the Dielectric Properties of Polymer-Based Nanocomposites

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Published on: September 19, 2020

Rewriting Polymer Fate via Chemomechanical Coupling.

Jiahe Huang¹, Haohui Zhang², Jiehao Chen²

¹School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)

|February 3, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed a "living" polymer that can continuously grow, shrink, and heal after fabrication. This sustainable material can be reprogrammed for advanced electronics and soft robotics.

Keywords:

chemomechanics dynamic polymers growable soft electronics transformable soft robots

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Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers

Depolymerizable Olefinic Polymers Based on Fused-Ring Cyclooctene Monomers

Published on: December 16, 2022

Area of Science:

Polymer Chemistry
Materials Science
Chemomechanics

Background:

Synthetic polymers typically lack dynamic life-like properties such as growth, self-healing, or post-fabrication property alteration.
Existing materials are often static, limiting their application lifespan and adaptability.

Purpose of the Study:

To engineer a synthetic polymer platform with continuous, life-like abilities including growth, degrowth, healing, and property reprogramming.
To integrate dynamic processes like mass transport, reversible polymerization, and chain exchange into a single chemomechanically coupled network.

Main Methods:

Coupling theoretical modeling with experimental validation to create an open-system polymer platform.
Utilizing light-activated catalysts for microscale control over polymer growth and degrowth.
Implementing reversible polymerization and chain exchange mechanisms for dynamic network evolution.
Integrating mass transport and stress to achieve a fully chemomechanically coupled system.

Main Results:

Demonstrated a polymer platform capable of continuous growth and degrowth with precise microscale control.
Achieved on-demand reprogramming of polymer chemical composition, enabling modulus tuning across two orders of magnitude.
Showcased the material's ability to heal and adapt its properties after initial fabrication.

Conclusions:

Established a foundation for sustainable, endlessly reprogrammable polymers with life-like dynamic capabilities.
The developed living polymer platform enables applications in self-growable electronics, advanced soft robotics, and self-regenerating devices.
This work opens new avenues for materials that can adapt and evolve throughout their lifecycle.