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

7.2K
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...
7.2K
Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:03

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

4.6K
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...
4.6K
Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)00:53

Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET)

2.3K
Acyclic diene metathesis polymerization or ADMET polymerization involves cross-metathesis of terminal dienes, such as 1,8-nonadiene, to give linear unsaturated polymer and ethylene. As ADMET is a reversible process, the formed ethylene gas must be removed from the reaction mixture to complete the polymerization process.
Similar to cross-metathesis, ADMET also involves the formation of metallacyclobutane intermediate by [2+2] cycloaddition of one of the double bonds of a terminal diene with...
2.3K
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:20

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

2.7K
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,...
2.7K
Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:17

Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

4.2K
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...
4.2K
Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes02:35

Free-Radical Chain Reaction and Polymerization of Alkenes

10.2K
The conversion of alkenes to macromolecules called polymers is a reaction of high commercial importance. The structure of the polymer is defined by a repeating unit, while the terminal groups are considered insignificant. The average degree of polymerization represents the number of repeating units in the polymer molecule and is denoted by the subscript n.
10.2K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Total organic acids from Cuscuta chinensis Lam. Modulate MDM2 to promote neurogenesis and alleviate depression.

Journal of ethnopharmacology·2026
Same author

Real-time bioelectronic sensors based on electroactive bacteria with organic electrochemical transistors.

Biosensors & bioelectronics·2026
Same author

Cold storage delays peach fruit softening via m<sup>6</sup>A reader PpYTHDFE1 liquid-liquid phase separation-mediated degradation of cell wall-loosening transcript PpEXP3.

Molecular horticulture·2026
Same author

The transcription factors RIN and NOR have both redundant and specific roles in the initiation and progression of fruit ripening.

The Plant cell·2026
Same author

A specific pilose antler peptide LVLVEAELRE ameliorates cognitive deficits in SAMP8 mice via Celsr2.

Journal of ethnopharmacology·2026
Same author

Study on Erosion by Built-In Pulse Impactor Based on Simulation.

ACS omega·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 17, 2026

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer
10:22

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer

Published on: November 30, 2020

4.0K

Light-Mediated Synthesis of Degradable Polymers With Complex Architectures Using α-Lipoic Acid as a Cleavable

Dongjoo Lee1, Hanqing Wang1, Xinyuan Zuo1

  • 1Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas, USA.

Macromolecular Rapid Communications
|March 16, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed a light-mediated synthesis for degradable polymers. This method uses reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization to incorporate disulfide bonds, enabling on-demand degradation and recycling of advanced polymer architectures.

Keywords:
degradable polymersdithiol polymerslipoic acidphotopolymerizationsustainability

More Related Videos

Synthesis of Information-bearing Peptoids and their Sequence-directed Dynamic Covalent Self-assembly
09:34

Synthesis of Information-bearing Peptoids and their Sequence-directed Dynamic Covalent Self-assembly

Published on: February 6, 2020

8.1K
Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes
05:48

Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes

Published on: November 21, 2017

8.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 17, 2026

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer
10:22

Designed for Molecular Recycling: A Lignin-Derived Semi-aromatic Biobased Polymer

Published on: November 30, 2020

4.0K
Synthesis of Information-bearing Peptoids and their Sequence-directed Dynamic Covalent Self-assembly
09:34

Synthesis of Information-bearing Peptoids and their Sequence-directed Dynamic Covalent Self-assembly

Published on: February 6, 2020

8.1K
Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes
05:48

Controlled Photoredox Ring-Opening Polymerization of O-Carboxyanhydrides Mediated by Ni/Zn Complexes

Published on: November 21, 2017

8.6K

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Sustainable Chemistry

Background:

  • Global polymer production is immense, posing significant disposal and recycling challenges due to persistent carbon-carbon bonds.
  • Current polymers require harsh conditions for degradation, limiting recycling efficiency and sustainability.
  • Designing polymers with on-demand degradability is crucial for addressing environmental concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a versatile, light-mediated synthetic approach for creating degradable polymers.
  • To enable the synthesis of polymers with both linear and nonlinear architectures.
  • To introduce disulfide bonds into polymer backbones for controlled degradation.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized controlled radical polymerization via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT).
  • Incorporated 1,2-dithiolane-based comonomers to introduce disulfide bonds into the polymer backbone.
  • Employed light initiation for copolymerization, generating thiyl radicals for controlled polymerization.

Main Results:

  • Successfully synthesized degradable polymers with tunable architectures using a light-mediated RAFT process.
  • Demonstrated the introduction of disulfide bonds, enabling efficient polymer degradation.
  • Produced nonlinear polymer architectures, including hyperbranched and graft polymers, via functionalized inimers and selective excitation.

Conclusions:

  • The developed light-mediated synthetic approach is versatile for creating degradable polymers.
  • This method facilitates the design of polymers with tailored architectures and on-demand degradation capabilities.
  • Offers a promising strategy for advancing polymer recycling and sustainability.