Themed collection Polymer Chemistry Recent HOT Articles

Resolving the anonymity of plastic materials is critical for safeguarding the well-being of our natural environments and human health.

Terms used for mechanisms of polymer growth are varied and problematic; we detail here our concerns with the terms “step-growth” and “chain-growth.” Ultimately, we seek terms that are simple, accurate, and attractive to the polymer community.

In this Minireview, we discuss recent implementations of orthogonal neat polymerization reactions for emerging applications including 3D printing, multimaterials, optical materials, and photo-responsive materials.

The objective of this mini-review article is to highlight the importance of the chemical design towards the synthesis of polymeric profluorescent nitroxides applicable as self-reporting probes.

Radical decarboxylation has emerged as a powerful tool in polymer chemistry. This review discusses the history of radical decarboxylation and its applications in polymer synthesis, crosslinking, functionalisation, degradation and depolymerisation.

This review highlights recent advances in controlled synthesis of conjugated ladder polymers using templates.

Inspired by the broad range of applications for sulfur-containing polymers, this article presents an overview regarding various ROP technologies (ROP/rROP/ROMP) which cement the importance of sulfur-containing monomers in modern polymer chemistry.

This review covers the extensive use of γ-thiolactone chemistry as a versatile and powerful tool for macromolecular engineering and the preparation of various polymer architectures, such as functional, alternating, or sequence-controlled (co)polymers.

Reversible complexation mediated polymerization (RCMP) was developed as a new class of controlled radical polymerization (CRP) using organic catalysts. In particular, photo-RCMP is among the simplest, cheapest, and most robust photoinduced CRPs.

This review article focuses on recent advances of bottlebrush copolymers prepared by a ring-opening metathesis polymerization, from synthesis efforts to properties and applications.

This study describes the solvent-assisted organocatalysed depolymerisation of BPA-PC at low temperature for the selective formation of trimethylene carbonate. The key role of 1-methylimidazole as solvent and imidazole as catalyst is investigated.

A library of polypeptides bearing fully-substituted triazoles (FT) was developed via a Cu-catalyzed multicomponent reaction (MCR), which avoided the undesired hydrogen bonding and stabilized the α-helix in a broad pH range.

Supramolecular polymeric nanotubes self-assembled from cyclic peptide–polymer conjugates are employed as general scaffolds to fabricate supramolecular FRET systems with tailorable and responsive luminescence.

A fluorescent molecular rotor is exploited as a viscosity probe to reveal heterogeneity in multi-material microstructures made by two-photon polymerization. These results open the door to probe the 4D character of active 3D microstructures.

Digital light 3D printing of biodegradable elastomers with mechanical properties comparable to the ones of Sylgard-184 via dual-polymer resins.

This work targets the construction of hydrogen-bonded (H-bonded) supramolecular polymeric micelles loaded with chemotherapy drugs (carmofur) and photothermal agents (IR780) for combined chemo-photothermal therapies (CT/PTT).

Functional polymer nanoparticles deliver CRISPR-Cas9 into tumours to efficiently and simultaneously cut off two different genes to manipulate glutamine metabolism for fighting cancers.

Cobaltocenium-containing block copolymers were prepared by post-functionalization using a quantitative and block-selective hydroamination reaction. Resulting metallopolymers show micro-phase separated morphology and tuneable surface hydrophilicity.

ω-Vinyl terminated reactive oligomers of 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate and poly(ethylene glycol)methacrylate (PEGMA) were synthesized via CCTP and subsequent addition–fragmentation chain transfer (AFCT) polymerization.

The ROCOP of equimolar mixtures of (R)-CL^nBu/(S)-CL^Me enabled the assessment of the ROP stereocontrol ability of yttrium catalysts through the degree of alternation via detailed mass spectrometric analyses.

Thiol-acrylate photoresin containing dynamic disulfide bonds undergoes wavelength-selective photopolymerization under green vs. UV light to produce a degradable step-growth network vs. permanent chain-growth network.

A seven-membered cyclic carbonate bearing a cis-fused cyclohexane structure enabled the chemical recycling of polycarbonate to high-ring-strain monomer.

Blocky bromination of PEKK yields superior crystallizability, high %X_c, T_g, T_m, T_c, and faster crystallization kinetics compared to random analogs.

A composite polymer solid electrolyte was prepared with a fast highway for Li⁺ conduction based on the robust network of covalent organic framework, which shows good stability and superior electrochemistry performance.

Two-photon fluorescence bioimaging holds immense promise for deep tissue imaging.

Three sp²-carbon-linked D–A COFs have been successfully synthesized via a Knoevenagel condensation reaction. The TTh-COF with strong electron-donating unit of benzotrithiophene exhibits an impressive hydrogen evolution rate 22.22 mmol h⁻¹ g⁻¹.

Diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy (DOSY) allows for excellent determination of block copolymer molecular weights.

Polymer stabiliser adsorption kinetics influence a stirred-cell membrane emulsification process output. An optimized combination of low/higher MW PVA at very low concentration (0.1 wt%) produces narrow size distribution and size-controlled droplets.

Azo-(U-PEO)₂ self-assembled into long supramolecular nanocylinders in water and disassembly was triggered by photo-induced trans → cis isomerization of azobenzene units.

Ladder polymers with highly saturated backbones are prepared using a photoredox-catalyzed radical cation Diels–Alder polymerization.

The development of new functional polycarbonates through ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of cyclic precursors is described.

A novel polymer electrolyte with high stability and high performance is prepared by in situ polymerization for lithium metal batteries.

We present here a green cyclodepolymerization route for the chemical recycling of poly(ethylene adipate) to its cyclic oligomers based on ring–chain equilibria in solution.

(Diamine)Pd(0)(dichlone)/NaBPh₄ systems have been revealed to be effective initiators for diazoacetate polymerization, yielding moderately syndiotactic polymers in moderate yields.

Hydrogels based on acylhydrazone end-linked Tetronic T904 four-armed amphiphilic star block copolymers show thermally-induced aqueous self-assembly and toughening, and cross-link dissociation and association traceable via simple ¹H NMR spectroscopy.

Cationic RAFT of vinyl ethers was performed without reagent purification and under ambient conditions by utilizing a PCCP acid initiator with a HBD catalyst. Despite inherent nucleophiles, the system retained high chain end fidelity and modularity.

Structure of a hyperbranched polyhydrocarbon obtained by electrochemical polymerization was analyzed by various NMR techniques and modeling. The calculated physical properties from its bulk model system well matched with experimental results.

Here, a new class of ester-functionalized polychalcogenophene is reported, the poly(3-alkylesterselenophene). Moreover, a series of thiophene–selenophene copolymers were prepared.

Polysulfides cross-linked with cyclosiloxanes were synthesized, characterized and tested as solvent sorbents.

A one-pot strategy for the design of stimuli-responsive luminescent polymers has been demonstrated through Barbier PIE, where the N,N-dimethyl moiety endows the polymers with both stimuli-responsive and red-shifted nonconjugated emission properties.

Design strategies of phosphonic acid polymers established advanced ion gels with high ionic conductivity, mechanical strength, and self-healing ability via a configurable balance of ionic and hydrogen bonding interactions at the molecular level.

Porous nanostructures were derived after self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers and subsequent ozone-mediated block segment degradation. Highly ordered pores were obtained for BCP films and for coatings at cellulose fibers’ surfaces.

TADF donor-acceptor conjugates were applied as photosensitizers for organocatalyzed organic atom transfer radical polymerization. A donor-modification strategy was found to dramatically improve the control over the polymerization.

Sustainable poly(ester–amide)s derived from glycolide have been synthesized and their thermal, mechanical, and gas barrier properties have been studied by systematically changing the number of methylene groups.

Epoxy-functional sterically-stabilized diblock copolymer nanoparticles are prepared via PISA in mineral oil and then derivatized using various reagents and reaction conditions.

Recycled plastic waste based self-immolative polyurethane has been synthesized and nanoformulated for tumor relevant pH induced charge modulation, efficient guest encapsulation and triggered release in a controlled fashion.

Controlling the dispersity of PSS allows to control the performance of PEDOT:PSS in organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs).

Redox-responsive polymers and polymeric coatings containing benzothiazole-disulfide groups provide facile access to reversibly functionalizable platforms.

Two chlorophyll a derivatives, namely pyropheophorbide a and its corresponding zinc(II) complex, are used as visible-light photosensitizers for free-radical photopolymerization.

Strong protic acids catalyze intermolecular transesterification in reversible polyester syntheses even at low temperatures (109 °C), an important aspect not considered in the original Jacobson–Stockmayer theory of reversible polycondensations.

Novel dual thermoresponsive N-cyanoethylacrylamide (CEAm)-based (co)polymers synthesized by RAFT polymerization display a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) and an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) in water.

Highly branched and narrowly dispersed polyethylenes with high or ultra-high molecular weights are accessible using the depicted nickel precatalyst/activator combinations.

Computational studies show that the activity of ATRP catalysts can be dramatically improved using quinuclidine bridgehead ligands.

Rational design of comb-like and linear conjugates comprising PNIPAM and PDMAEMA segments allows the construction of a multi-tunable hierarchical self-assembly platform and insight into the topology effect.

A facile synthesis of branched polymers with regulated molecular weights, low dispersity and freely tuned branching densities is reported.

Additive manufacturing of phenolic resins as a proof-of-concept for the first photo-chemical induced polycondensation by Hot Lithography. Through the dual use of a photoacidgenerator, the first pure 3D printing of Bakelite^© is investigated.

We developed new macromolecular engineering approaches enabling the preparation of star-shaped and antimicrobial polypeptoids by ring-opening polymerization.