Themed collection Polymer Chemistry's Most Popular 2023 Articles

Molecular descriptors and machine learning are useful tools for extracting structure–property relationships from large, complex polymer data, and accelerating the design of novel polymers with tailored functionalities.

This review discusses the impact of borane catalysis on epoxide homo- and copolymerization, focussing on polymerization mechanisms and catalyst design.

We describe the theory and application of SEC-MALS with minimal equations and a focus on synthetic polymer characterization.

Multifunctional monomers enable the synthesis of polymer networks by adapting the polymerization methods used for conventional linear polymer synthesis.

A light-responsive polymer caging the anticancer drug camptothecin was prepared by RAFT polymerisation. The water-soluble polymer efficiently killed cancer cells under irradiation thanks to simultaneous camptothecin uncaging and photodynamic therapy.

Catalyst-free reversible β-amino amides in covalent adaptable networks with reprocessability and high dimensional stability.

A series of previously unreported amine-bearing cyclic ketene acetals (CKAs) furnished with different alkyl-substituents were prepared and polymerised into pH-responsive polyesters.

Eosin Y is used as a photocatalyst for the acceleration of the depolymerization of polymethacrylates.

The influence of the cleavable bond location on degradation and reformation of poly(n-butyl acrylate) networks synthesised by RAFT polymerisation was investigated and revealed that cleavable backbones lead to more efficient network reversibility.

A new synthetic route to the cyclic ketene acetal, 2-methylene-4-methyl-1,3-dioxepane (Me-MDO) is reported. The introduction of side-groups to the polyester affects its degradability.

The synthesis of a lipoic acid-based vitrimer-like elastomer (LAVE).

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

Intelligent redox-responsive polymers, such as thioether-containing poly(2-oxazoline)s, facilitate drug delivery and triggered release in biomedical applications.

We demonstrate stereolithographic 3D printing of pure aliphatic poly(ether esters) from spiro-orthoesters with near-net-zero shrinkage and significantly reduced shrinkage stress.

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

A bifunctional reagent containing a diazirine carbene precursor and a benzyl bromide electrophile can be used to photofunctionalize Kevlar and other inert polymers, providing sites for covalent attachment of dyes.

AB_x and AB_xC poly(ester-ether) polymers were synthesized and their units were shown to greatly affect thermal properties and significantly increase polymer degradability.

Novel coumarinylmethyl photobase generators (PBGs) that induce polymerization upon exposure to visible light are described. PBG composition governs anionic vs. radical mechanisms, which will lead to disparate polymer topologies and properties.

In this article, we described a new group of cationic photoinitiators.

The use of photolatent transesterification catalysts provides a unique way to locally control dynamic bond exchange reactions in vitrimers.

A series of aromatic polythioamides with high gold extraction efficiency and high refractive index have been synthesized through the KOH-assisted multicomponent polymerization of elemental sulfur, aromatic diamines and aromatic dialdehydes.

We synthesized a fully benzoxazine (BZ)-linked POP comprising TPA and DHPT units through Sonogashira–Hagihara coupling and ring opening polymerization for CO₂ capture and energy storage.

Fluorescent polyesters have been prepared using ring-opening copolymerization by adding a fluorescent monomer to the reaction. The coloured polymers have been depolymerized and white polymer resynthesized from the recovered monomers.

A prediction model for cloud point was built by a combination of materials informatics and chemical insight.

We present the synthesis of different amine-functionalised poly(2-oxazoline)s, their dual pH and temperature response as well as their capability to as promising stimuli responsive drug delivery vectors.

Using ridge regression, the propagation rate coefficients for radical polymerization are correlated with basic molecular properties.

Aqueous emulsion copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and 5,6-benzo-2-methylene-1,3-dioxepane (BMDO) leads to stable particles of PMMA bearing in-chain ester units that can be cleaved under basic conditions.

In this study, we used a palladium catalyst to catalyze the copolymerization of vegetable oil-based monomers with ethylene to prepare functional polyolefins.

Four chalcones with excellent light absorption properties and biocompatibility have been designed and synthesized for visible light polymerization.

Monomer design via functionalization serves as a promising strategy towards the development of inexpensive and high-performance chemically recyclable polymers.