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

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers01:24

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers

3.6K
Copolymers are the products obtained from the polymerization of multiple monomer species. So, in a polymer chain itself, there can be multiple repeating units that come from different monomers. The process of synthesizing a polymer from different monomer species is called copolymerization. When two monomers are involved, the polymer is known as a bipolymer. Polymers with three and four monomers are termed terpolymers and quaterpolymers, respectively. Figure 1 depicts the copolymerization of...
3.6K
Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution01:10

Polymers: Molecular Weight Distribution

5.2K
For any given polymer, the weight average molecular weight (Mw) is higher than, if not equal to, the number average molecular weight (Mn). The only situation in which the weight average molecular weight and the number average molecular weight are equal is when a polymer consists only of chains with equal molecular weight. However, this never happens in a synthetic polymer, since it is difficult to control the polymerization process up to a molecular level with accuracy to a hundred percent.
5.2K
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
Characteristics and Nomenclature of Homopolymers01:00

Characteristics and Nomenclature of Homopolymers

4.3K
Polymers that are made up of identical monomer units are called homopolymers. Only one repeating unit is involved in the construction of the homopolymer structure. For example, as depicted in Figure 1, polypropylene is a homopolymer constituted of propylene monomers. Here, the only repeating unit in the polymer chain is propylene.
4.3K
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism01:09

Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism

3.8K
The radical chain-growth polymerization mechanism consists of three steps: initiation, propagation, and termination of polymerization. The polymerization initiates when a free radical generated from the radical initiator adds to the unsaturated bond in the monomer. The unpaired electron of the free radical and one π electron in the unsaturated bond creates a σ bond between the free radical and the monomer. As a result, the other π electron in the unsaturated bond converts this species into...
3.8K
Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity01:26

Polymer Classification: Stereospecificity

3.4K
Polymerization generates chiral centers along the entire backbone of a polymer chain. Accordingly, the stereochemistry of the substituent group has a significant effect on polymer properties. Polymers formed from monosubstituted alkene monomers feature chiral carbons at every alternate position in the polymer backbone. Relative to the predominant orientation of substituents at the adjacent chiral carbons, the polymer can exist in three different configurations: isotactic, syndiotactic, and...
3.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Cerebroretinal Microangiopathy with Calcifications and Cysts (CRMCC): A 5-Year Diagnostic Challenge.

Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland)·2026
Same author

Open-label randomised controlled trial of aripiprazole/sertraline combination in comparison with quetiapine for the clinical and cost-effectiveness of treatment of bipolar depression (the ASCEnD study): study protocol.

BMJ open·2026
Same author

Investigational New Drug Enabling Nonclinical Study of Xenogeneic Life-Supporting Porcine Kidneys With 10 Gene Edits (10 GE) in a Nonhuman Primate Test System.

Xenotransplantation·2026
Same author

Development and Evaluation of a Multimodal Debriefing Dashboard for Virtual Reality Cardiac Arrest Simulation.

Simulation in healthcare : journal of the Society for Simulation in Healthcare·2025
Same author

High-Penetrance Rare Variants Underlying Familial Lung Cancer Risk: Insights From Genetic Epidemiology of Lung Cancer Consortium.

Journal of thoracic oncology : official publication of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer·2025
Same author

Practical guidance for conducting high-quality and rapid interim analyses in adaptive clinical trials.

BMC medicine·2025
Same journal

Customizing Ionic Micelles by Dynamic Coassembly of Sequence-Defined Peptoid Block Copolymers.

Macromolecules·2026
Same journal

Investigating Polyethylene Solubility for Solvent-Based Recycling: Experiments and SAFT‑γ Mie Predictions.

Macromolecules·2026
Same journal

Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Structural and Thermodynamic Properties of Poly(<i>l</i>‑lactic acid) in the Presence of Water.

Macromolecules·2026
Same journal

From Solvent-Mediated Micellization to Packing in a Face-Centered Cubic Structure of Poloxamers.

Macromolecules·2026
Same journal

Nonlocal Effect of Percolated Particle Networks on Viscoelasticity of Polymer-Filler Nanocomposites: A Mesoscale Simulation Study.

Macromolecules·2026
Same journal

Helicity of a confined bottlebrush ring polymer.

Macromolecules·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 3, 2026

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level
06:55

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level

Published on: September 26, 2016

8.6K

Characterization of Sequence Distributions in Random and Semi-Random Copolymers.

Michael Cole1, Jordan Fitch1, Tara Y Meyer1

  • 1Deparment of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260 United States.

Macromolecules
|April 2, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed a method to analyze polymer sequences using selective digestion. This technique distinguishes random and semirandom poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) copolymers, offering insights into material properties.

More Related Videos

Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers
11:42

Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers

Published on: June 20, 2019

8.4K
DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers
08:00

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers

Published on: October 25, 2017

7.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 3, 2026

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level
06:55

Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level

Published on: September 26, 2016

8.6K
Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers
11:42

Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers

Published on: June 20, 2019

8.4K
DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers
08:00

DNA Nanotubes as a Versatile Tool to Study Semiflexible Polymers

Published on: October 25, 2017

7.3K

Area of Science:

  • Polymer Chemistry
  • Materials Science
  • Analytical Chemistry

Background:

  • Poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) is a widely used biodegradable polyester.
  • Controlling the sequence distribution in PLGA is crucial for tuning its degradation rate and mechanical properties.
  • Existing methods for sequence analysis in PLGA are limited, especially for semirandom copolymers.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a novel strategy for analyzing and distinguishing sequence distributions in random and semirandom PLGA copolymers.
  • To enable coarse-grained sequence control in PLGA synthesis.
  • To provide a scalable platform for tuning and characterizing sequence distributions in degradable polyesters.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis of semirandom copolymers using a parallel-successive (P-S) approach.
  • Selective digestion of copolymers at cleavable olefin-containing monomer units.
  • Analysis of fragment distributions using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC), and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS).
  • Monte Carlo simulations to model copolymerizations and predict fragment distributions.

Main Results:

  • The P-S approach enables coarse-grained sequence control in PLGA synthesis.
  • Selective digestion and subsequent analysis accurately reflect the microstructural arrangement of monomer units.
  • Experimental and simulated results show distinct fragment distributions for P-S copolymers compared to random copolymers, with P-S exhibiting broader or bimodal distributions.
  • The method successfully distinguishes between random and semirandom PLGA sequences.

Conclusions:

  • The developed strategy provides a robust and scalable method for analyzing sequence distributions in PLGA.
  • This approach allows for the precise tuning and characterization of polymer microstructures.
  • The findings have implications for designing advanced degradable polyesters with tailored properties for various applications.