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Related Concept Videos

Polymers02:34

Polymers

43.1K
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...
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Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:17

Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

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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...
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Polymer Classification: Architecture01:14

Polymer Classification: Architecture

4.1K
Polymers are classified as linear or branched on the basis of their chain architecture. The polymer chains in linear polymers have a long chain-like structure with minimal to no branching at all. Even if a polymer features large substituent groups on the monomer, which appear as branches to the skeleton, it is not considered a branched polymer. A branched polymer contains secondary polymer chains that arise from the main polymer chain. The branching occurs when the polymer growth shifts from...
4.1K
Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview01:03

Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview

4.7K
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...
4.7K
Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers01:08

Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers

3.0K
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...
3.0K
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism01:04

Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

2.6K
The mechanism for anionic chain-growth polymerization involves initiation, propagation, and termination steps. In the initiation step, a nucleophilic anion, such as butyl lithium, initiates the polymerization process by attacking the π bond of the vinylic monomer. As a result, a carbanion, stabilized by the electron‐withdrawing group, is generated. The resulting carbanion acts as a Michael donor in the propagation step and attacks the second vinylic monomer, which acts as a Michael...
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Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly of Nonlinear Polymers.

Ruiming Wang1, Li Zhang1,2, Jianbo Tan1,2

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Chemistry (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
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Polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) now creates complex nonlinear polymer nanoparticles. This review highlights how polymer topology influences nanoparticle shape and offers future research directions.

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Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Nanotechnology

Background:

  • Polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) is a scalable method for synthesizing block copolymer nanoparticles with controlled morphologies.
  • Current PISA methods primarily focus on linear polymer architectures, limiting the accessible structural complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in applying PISA to nonlinear polymer architectures.
  • To elucidate how polymer topology influences self-assembly processes and nanoparticle morphology.
  • To position PISA as a viable technique for creating architecturally complex macromolecules.

Main Methods:

  • Surveying literature on PISA applied to nonlinear polymers including star, graft, bottlebrush, branched, and cyclic architectures.
  • Analyzing the impact of polymer topology on nucleation, chain packing, and interfacial curvature during self-assembly.

Main Results:

  • Nonlinear polymer topology significantly alters the self-assembly behavior compared to linear counterparts.
  • Diverse nanoparticle morphologies can be achieved by controlling polymer architecture through PISA.
  • PISA is demonstrated as a versatile platform for synthesizing complex macromolecular structures.

Conclusions:

  • Extending PISA to nonlinear polymers unlocks new possibilities for designing advanced nanomaterials.
  • Understanding the interplay between polymer topology and self-assembly is crucial for precise morphology control.
  • Future research in PISA of nonlinear polymers holds significant potential for materials innovation.