Themed collection Open access articles from Polymer Chemistry

2-Cyclohexyl-2-oxo-1,3,2-dioxaphospholane (^cyHexPPn), a new monomer for the anionic ring-opening polymerization to poly(ethylene alkyl phosphonate)s is presented.

Vinyl sulfone esters are described as a new class of AFCT reagents for methacrylate-based photopolymerization without the drawback of retardation but good regulation of network architecture. Resulting materials show low shrinkage stress and increased toughness. This paves the way for vinyl sulfone esters in lithography-based 3D printing.

A new approach to control the molecular weight and polymer architecture using the Passerini three-component step-growth polymerization is described.

A planar heteroacene building block, dithieno[2,3-d;2′,3′-d′]benzo[1,2-b;3,4-b′]dithiophene (DTmBDT), is reported via a facile synthetic procedure.

The synthesis of stereodiblock polyisoprene which consists of cis-1,4 and trans-1,4 sequences was achieved by using a neodymium catalyst.

The influence of ambient laboratory light from common fluorescent lamps on AGET, ARGET, and classical ATRP reactions was investigated and significant differences were found except for ARGET ATRP.

Morpholine-functionalised poly(glycerol monomethacrylate)-poly(2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate) diblock copolymer vesicles are transformed into worms or spheres on lowering the solution pH.

Dendrons with a focal point and quaternary ammonium peripheral groups are tools for making non-active polymers and surfaces antibacterial.

Sequence-regulated vinyl copolymers with acid and base monomer units were prepared via atom transfer radical addition and alternating radical copolymerization.

The chemical structure of triblock terpolymers is exploited to achieve polymer nanocapsules responsive to three different stimuli.

Microwave-assisted direct arylation polycondensation of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene produced a solution processable and electrochromic polymer when 3,6-dibromocarbazole was employed as a comonomer.

Fast photo-polymerizable modular construction kit for making networks with extremely low shrinkage and varied mechanical properties.

Amphiphilic block copolymers with synthetic nucleobase-containing blocks as the hydrophobic segments were successfully synthesized using RAFT polymerisation and then self-assembled via solvent switch in aqueous solutions.

Ultralight hydrophobic polymer sponges with enhanced compressive strength prepared by electrospinning and PPX coating showed tuneable density, compression strength, and water contact angle, and low thermal conductivity. On holding a piece of such a sponge in hand, one does not feel the cold from dry ice.

Here we present new enzyme-responsive polyion complex (PIC) nanoparticles prepared from antimicrobial poly(ethylene imine) and an anionic enzyme-responsive peptide targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa's elastase.

Functionalisation by radical thiol–ene addition of a cylindrical micelle formed by crystallisation-driven self-assembly is demonstrated.

A novel sequential dual-curable thermosetting system with a custom-tailorable structure based on a click thiol–epoxy reaction and excess epoxy is presented.

A chain-shattering polymer system consisting of nontoxic, partially renewable resource-based monomers via acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) chemistry is introduced.

The first VO(salen) catalyzed oxidative polymerization of PhSSPh and bromanil-assisted acceleration of the polymerization were reported.

Chiral recognition of monomeric Me₂MOR units resulting in the formation of homochiral dimeric species [Me₂M(μ-OR)]₂ (M = Ga, In), leads to heteroselective catalysts for the ring opening polymerization of rac-lactide (rac-LA).

Block copolymer spheres, worms or vesicles can be prepared via RAFT dispersion polymerisation of N-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl pyrrolidone in n-dodecane using a poly(stearyl methacrylate) chain transfer agent.

pH-dependent UCST-transitions and influence of sacrificial additives on the thermoresponsivity of acrylamide- acrylonitrile copolymers is shown.

The concept of micelle blending is explored as a new route to afford well-defined polymer nanostructures.

Aliphatic polycarbonates have attracted significant attention for biomedical application over the last few years due to their biodegradability, low toxicity and good biocompatibility.

A unique hierarchical evolution from single-line nanocaterpillars to multi-line nanocaterpillars was demonstrated by in situ nanoparticlisation of fully conjugated poly(2,5-dihexyloxy-1,4-phenylene)-block-poly(3-methylthiophene).

Functional cobalt-containing homo and block polymers are probed with respect to their redox-induced switchability and as preceramic materials.

The ring-opening polymerisation of 2,3-dihydro-5H-1,4-benzodioxepin-5-one gives polyester homopolymers and copolymers that contain both aromatic and aliphatic linkages. The polymers can be easily depolymerised by Al catalysts.