Polymer Chemistry Blog

Paper of the Month: A facile and versatile platform for preparing uniform π-conjugated nanofibers with controlled length and varying shells

16 Dec 2024

Xiang et al. developed a facile and versatile platform for preparing uniform π-conjugated-polymer-based nanofibers (CPNFs) with controlled length and varying functionalities.

The development of controlled π-conjugated polymer nanofibers (CPNFs) represents a significant breakthrough in polymer chemistry due to their wide-ranging applications in electronics, nanomedicine, and catalysis. However, achieving precise control over their length, composition, and surface properties has been a persistent challenge.

To address this, Xiang et al. developed a novel and efficient platform combining activated-ester/amine chemistry with the self-seeding approach of living crystallization-driven self-assembly (CDSA). This method enables the fabrication of uniform CPNFs with controllable dimensions and diverse functionalities. Using poly(pentafluorophenyl methacrylate) (PPFMA) as a precursor, the authors synthesized corona-forming polymers featuring 18-crown-6 (18C6) and dimethylamino (DMA) functionalities, which were subsequently coupled with an oligo(p-phenylenevinylene) (OPV₅) π-conjugated core. This approach facilitated the creation of diblock copolymers capable of forming monodisperse fiber-like micelles through self-seeding. By systematically employing the annealing conditions, uniform fiber-like micelles with tunable and precise length were achieved. Furthermore, the functionality of the corona-forming segments was exploited for a variety of applications. For instance, the 18C6 coronas were complexed with sodium and potassium ions, significantly enhancing the stability of seed micelles. The incorporation of chiral amines introduced helicity to the fibers, as evidenced by circular dichroism analysis. The versatility of the platform was further demonstrated through the functionalization of DMA-containing coronas with metal ions, nanoparticles, and porphyrins. These modifications not only enriched the structural diversity of the fibers but also expanded their potential in catalysis and photonic applications.

In summary, this work provides a facile and efficient platform for constructing π-conjugated nanofibers with precise dimensional and functional control. This work opens a facile and general platform for generating distinct CPNFs for diverse applications ranging from nanomedicine to (photo)catalysis.

Tips/comments directly from the authors:

Versatile precursor chemistry enabled efficient post-polymerization modifications, allowing the seamless introduction of diverse functional groups into the shell of nanostructures.
Combined with the precise control over nanofiber length and morphology offered by living CDSA, this methodology exemplifies the possibility of controlled self-assembly for precision preparation of π-conjugated nanostructures with diverse functionalities and designed architecture.

Citation of the paper: A facile and versatile platform for preparing uniform π-conjugated nanofibers with controlled length and varying shells, Polym. Chem., 2024, 15, 4231-4243, DOI: 10.1039/d4py00979g

Link to the paper: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2024/PY/D4PY00979G

Portrait photo of Kelly Velonia

Dr. Kelly Velonia is an Advisory Board Member and a Web Writer for Polymer Chemistry. She joined the Department of Materials Science and Technology at the University of Crete in 2007. Research in her group focuses on the synthesis and applications of bioconjugates and biopolymers. You can follow Kelly on twitter @KellyVelonia.

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Paper of the Month: Advancing antimicrobial polymer development: a novel database and accelerated design via machine learning

11 Nov 2024

By Laura Ghandhi, Deputy Editor.

Zhao et al. accelerate antimicrobial polymer design with a novel database and machine learning.

Graphical abstract of selected paper, showing 3 stages of antimicrobial polymer database, machine learning and design principle

Drug-resistant microorganisms pose increasing pressure on healthcare systems, underscoring the urgent need for effective disinfectants. In this vein, antimicrobial polymers (AMPs) offer a promising solution by inhibiting or eradicating microbes through diverse mechanisms without fostering resistance. With low toxicity and enhanced durability, AMPs are strong candidates for next-generation antimicrobial agents. However, the design of new AMPs with desired properties is challenging as it is mostly based on time and labor-intensive trial-and-error research.

To address this, Le and collaborators gathered experimental AMP data from various sources, providing a crucial foundation for accelerating AMP design through machine learning (ML). This first open-source database for antimicrobial polymers features 489 entries, including 177 unique polymers that exhibit a range of structures and properties. Advanced algorithms were implemented to identify 32 key descriptors using seven distinct feature selection methods. Additionally, several machine learning models that achieved approximately 85% predictive accuracy for antimicrobial properties were developed. The significance and influence of these descriptors on the antimicrobial characteristics of polymers and proposed guidelines for designing highly effective AMPs were thoroughly assessed.

In summary, this study provides a database, along with the identification of critical descriptors that are expected to offer a strong and informative foundation for researchers to investigate new AMPs in the future.

Tips/comments directly from the authors:

Data quality is crucial: Accurate, well-prepared data is foundational to the success of machine learning models and the usefulness of new knowledge extracted from such models.
Balance novelty with rigor: Innovative methods are highlighted and ensure the approach and conclusions are rigorous and well-validated.
Iterate and take feedback seriously: Multiple revisions help improve clarity. Feedback from peers and reviewers must be taken seriously and addressed appropriately.

Citation of the paper: Advancing antimicrobial polymer development: a novel database and accelerated design via machine learning, Polym. Chem., 2024, 15, 4063-4076.

Link to the paper: https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2024/py/d4py00736k

Link to authors website (or social media)

https://au.linkedin.com/in/tu-le-4b758a5a

https://www.rmit.edu.au/contact/staff-contacts/academic-staff/l/le-dr-tu

Portrait photo of Kelly Velonia

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2025 Polymer Chemistry Lectureship – Open for Nominations

18 Oct 2024

By Molly Colgate, Assistant Editor.

Do you know an early-career researcher who deserves recognition for their contribution to the polymer chemistry field?

Polymer Chemistry is pleased to announce that nominations are now being accepted for its 2025 Lectureship award and will close on 31 January 2025. This annual award was established in 2015 to honour an early-stage career scientist who has made a significant contribution to the polymer field.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the lectureship, candidates should meet the following criteria:

Be an independent researcher – PhD students and postdoctoral research associates are not eligible
Be actively pursuing research within the polymer chemistry field, and have made a significant contribution to the field
Be at an early stage of their independent career (this should typically be within 12 years of attaining their doctorate or equivalent degree, but appropriate consideration will be given to those who have taken a career break, work in systems where their time period to independence may vary or who followed an alternative study path)
Have a publication as a corresponding author in Polymer Chemistry within the 3 years prior to the nomination deadline

How to nominate

Nominations must be made via email to polymers-rsc@rsc.org, and include the following:

The name, affiliation and contact details of the nominee, nominator and referee
An up-to-date CV of the nominee (1 – 3 A4 page maximum length)
A letter of recommendation from the nominator (500 words maximum length). The relationship between nominator and nominee should be stated in the letter.
A supporting letter of recommendation from a referee (500 words maximum length). This could be from the nominee’s academic mentor, PhD supervisor or postdoc for instance. The relationship between referee and nominee should be stated in the letter.
The nominator must confirm that to the best of their knowledge, their nominee’s professional standing is as such that there is no confirmed or potential impediment to them receiving the Lectureship

Please note:

Self-nomination is not permitted
The nominee must be aware that they have been nominated for this lectureship
Previous winners and current Polymer Chemistry Editorial Board members are not eligible
As part of the Royal Society of Chemistry, we have a responsibility to promote inclusivity and accessibility in order to improve diversity. Where possible, we encourage each nominator to consider nominating candidates of all genders, races, and backgrounds. Please see the RSC’s approach to Inclusion and Diversity.

Selection

All eligible nominated candidates will be assessed by a judging panel made up of the Polymer Chemistry Editorial Board, any Editorial Board members with a conflict of interest will be ineligible for the judging panel.
The judging panel will consider the following core criteria:
- Excellence in research, as evidenced in reference to originality and impact
- Quality of publications, patents or software
- Innovation
- Professional standing
- Independence
- Collaborations and teamwork
- Evidence of promising potential
- Other indicators of esteem indicated by the nominator
In any instance where multiple nominees are judged to be equally meritorious in relation to these core criteria, the judging panel will use information provided on the nominee’s broader contribution to the chemistry community as an additional criterion. Examples of this could include: involvement with RSC community activities, teaching or demonstrating, effective mentorship, service on boards, committees or panels, leadership in the scientific community, peer reviewing, promotion of diversity and inclusion, advocacy for chemistry, public engagement and outreach.

Haritz Sardon, 2024 Lectureship winner

Previous winners

2024 – Haritz Sardon, University of Basque Country, Spain

2023 – Miao Hong, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, China

2022 – Dominik Konkolewicz, Miami University, USA

2021 – Brett Fors, Cornell University, USA

2020 – Rachel O’Reilly, University of Birmingham, UK

2019 – Frederik Wurm, University of Twente, Netherlands

2018 – Cyrille Boyer, University of New South Wales, Australia

2017 – Julien Nicolas, Université Paris Sud, France

2016 – Feihe Huang, Zhejiang University, China

2015 – Richard Hoogenboom, Ghent University, Belgium

Nominations deadline: 31 January 2025

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2024 Polymer Chemistry Lectureship awarded to Professor Haritz Sardon

10 Apr 2024

By Paul Scott, Assistant Editor.

We are delighted to announce Professor Haritz Sardon (University of the Basque Country) as the recipient of the 2024 Polymer Chemistry lectureship!

This award, now in its tenth year, honours an early-career researcher who has made significant contribution to the polymer field. The recipient is selected by the Polymer Chemistry Editorial Board from a list of candidates nominated by the community.

Haritz Sardon is an Associate Professor at the University of the Basque Country since 2021 and Group leader at POLYMAT. He graduated from the University of the Basque Country in 2011 with honours before joining the group of Dr Hedrick at IBM Almaden Research Centre as a Postdoc in 2012, where he spent 2 years. In 2014 he returned to Spain with a Spanish Ministry grant and joined POLYMAT as a group leader. Haritz Sardon has participated in 145 peer-reviewed publications, with more than 70 as corresponding author. The impact of his work can be measured by his increasing number of citations, near 2000 in 2023. He has been awarded with several awards including the ACS Macomolecules Young Investigator Award, Excellence of Young Researcher in Chemistry Award by the Spanish Royal Society (2021) and the Excellence of Young Researcher in Polymers Award by the Grupo Español de Polímeros (2020). His overall research aims to prepare new functional polymeric materials using sustainable polymerization processes. Specifically, his investigations involve the use of green polymerization processes such as monomers from plastic recycling, reagents from renewable sources or the use of less hazardous organocatalysts.

To learn more about Professor Sardon’s research, have a look at his most recent publication in Polymer Chemistry “Upcycling of BPA-PC into trimethylene carbonate by solvent assisted organocatalysed depolymerisation“, which is free to access until 15^th June 2024, and featured in our Hot articles and Plastic Conversion collections. You can also check out articles from our previous lectureship winners in our lectureship winners collection.

‘What I really like about Polymer Chemistry is that the articles are professionally handled by well-known experts in my field.’

Read our interview with Professor Sardon below:

How has your research evolved from your first article to this most recent article?

My scientific path always has been aligned with topics related with sustainability. As a PhD student I was working in trying to develop polyurethanes that are more sustainable. To do so my PhD project was focused on the preparation of polyurethane dispersions trying to find alternatives to traditional tin based catalysts. At that time in 2009 I managed to publish my first first author article (Prog. Org. Coat., 2009, 3, 291-295) where we showed that zirconium based catalysts could be used as sustainable alternatives for the production of waterborne polyurethanes. My group has been intensively working on alternative benign catalysts for the production of polymers. One of the most interesting catalysts that we have recently discovered is taurine (Adv. Sci., 2024, 10.1002/advs.202308956). The unique zwitterionic structure of taurine, where the negatively charged sulfonic acid group and the protonated amine group are separated by two methylene groups, not only provides high thermal stability but also leads to a dual activation mechanism that allows the polymerization of different monomers at elevated temperatures. More importantly it shows a lack of toxicity which is an important feature of this naturally occurring catalyst.

What excites you most about your area of research and what has been the most exciting moment of your career so far?

One of the most exciting moments of our group was when Dr. Coralie Jehanno (a former PhD student from our group) showed me that she was able to selectively depolymerize bisphenol A polycarbonate (BPA-PC) in the presence of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) (Angew. Chem., 2021, 12, 6710-6717). She developed a thermally stable catalyst that was able to depolymerize plastics in a selective fashion. This is one of the areas of research that excites me more in how to design strategies to solve the plastic problem issue. Indeed, we launched a start-up called POLYEY (https://www.polykey.eu/) with some of those ideas.

In your opinion, what are the most important questions to be asked/answered in your field of research?

In the field of chemical recycling of plastic there are still many open questions to be answered. The most important question to be answered in my opinion is how to translate all the fascinating research that is performed into society. Every day we see manuscripts coming related with plastic recycling but still the chemical recycling processes are not implemented at industrial scales. If we want to increase the circularity of plastics we must increase the plastic-to-plastic chemical recycling approaches, developing approaches that could industrially be implemented. To do so we need a stronger academic-industrial collaboration effort and incentives for companies implementing circularity into their products.

How do you feel about Polymer Chemistry as a place to publish research on this topic?

Polymer Chemistry is one of the leading polymer journals and one of the preferred places to publish the work of our group as shown by the more than 20 articles that we have already published. What I really like about Polymer Chemistry is that the articles are professionally handled by well-known experts in my field. I can easily identify the editor that is handling my work and I am convinced that she/he will treat my manuscript in a professional manner. Moreover, I also like that the article is usually evaluated at least by two expert reviewers that provide constructive comments to the work.

Which of your Polymer Chemistry publications are you most proud of and why?

One of my first articles as corresponding author, which I am really proud of, was published in Polymer Chemistry and was related with the preparation of non-isocyanate polyurethanes (Polym. Chem., 2016, 7, 2105-2111). In this article we manage to develop for the first time N-substituted 8-membered cyclic carbonate. This N-substituted 8 membered cyclic carbonate appeared to be much more reactive than the smaller 5- and 6-membered cyclic carbonates and allowed us to prepare high molecular weight polyurethanes even at room temperature. This work started to give us some recognition in the field of non-isocyanate polyurethanes one of the most intense areas of research of my group.

In which upcoming conferences or events (online or in person) may our readers meet you?

In 2024 I will assist with several conferences. I will be in the POLYCHAR 2024 (May 27-31 in Madrid, Spain), The polymers for Sustainable Future (June 24-28 Prague, Czech Republic) Gordon Research Conference in AM (Aug 11-16, Rhode Island, USA) International Symposium on Ionic Polymerization (Sep 1-5, Mainz, Germany) and the Spanish National Polymer Conference (Sep 16-19, Madrid, Spain). Hope to see you there.

Can you share one piece of career-related advice or wisdom with early career scientists?

For me science has always been really complex and at the same time fascinating. One of the things that I have done during the years is to foster collaboration with people around the world and to try to develop ideas together with another scientist. I have to say that scientists in general are really open minded and willing to collaborate with other people. For me the most important career-related advice is that if you feel that your research will advance much faster collaborating with somebody, just contact her/him to collaborate. You do not have anything so you cannot loss anything, but you have many things to win. I have collaborated with people in all the stages of my scientific career and this has helped me a lot during those years.

How do you spend your spare time?

I just came back from a vacational trip with my family in Tenerife. I have two small kids (5 and 2 years old) so you can imagine how my wife and I spend much of our spare time. However, when I have the opportunity I also practice one of my preferred hobbies which is swimming. And now that the summer is arriving I will take the opportunity to swim a little bit on the beach in the beautiful San Sebastian. Another passion of me and my family is to travel and to visit different places around the world.

We would like to thank everybody who nominated a candidate for the 2024 Polymer Chemistry Lectureship. The Editorial Board had a very difficult task in choosing a winner from the many excellent and worthy candidates.

Please join us in congratulating Professor Sardon on winning this award!

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Emerging Investigator Series – Maciek Kopeć

20 Dec 2023

By Paul Scott, Assistant Editor.

Maciek received his MEng degree in Polymer Chemistry and Technology from Cracow University of Technology in 2009, followed by a Ph.D. in Materials Science from Jagiellonian University and Polish Academy of Sciences in Krakow, Poland in 2014. During his Ph.D. he spent six months as a Fulbright Scholar at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA working with Kris Matyjaszewski and Tomek Kowalewski, where he returned as a postdoc in 2014. From 2016 to 2018 he was a Research Fellow in the Materials Science and Technology of Polymers department at the University of Twente in Enschede, the Netherlands. Next, he spent three months at the University of Bristol in the UK before starting his current position as a Lecturer at the University of Bath in 2019. His research interests involve polymer gels/networks, degradable and reversible thermosets, controlled radical polymerisation, polymer topology, and polymer-derived carbon materials.

Read Maciek’s Emerging Investigator article, Strands vs. crosslinks: topology-dependent degradation and regelation of polyacrylate networks synthesised by RAFT polymerisation, DOI D3PY01008B.

Check out of interview with Maciek below:

How do you feel about Polymer Chemistry as a place to publish research on this topic?

I think it’s perfect. Polymer Chemistry is a go-to journal for any quality polymer research. This work felt particularly suitable as some of the Editors are pioneers in the field which guaranteed a thorough reviewing process.

What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment and what do you find most challenging about your research?

When I started my independent research, our group focused mostly on crosslinked polymer systems, i.e., gels and networks which I didn’t have much previous experience with. I am still fascinated by the very fundamental aspects of these materials such as the mechanism of crosslinking in various polymerisation techniques or network topology.

In your opinion, what are the most important questions to be asked/answered in this field of research?

I think for degradable/recyclable polymers it is finding a compromise between degradability and stability necessary for successful translation of these materials into applications. In case of polymer networks more generally, there is still a lot we don’t know about their complex internal structure and how exactly it affects their physical properties.

Can you share one piece of career-related advice or wisdom with other early career scientists?

Embrace teaching! It can be a great source of inspiration as well as a refreshing break from your research.

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Emerging Investigator Series – Zhanhua Wang

14 Dec 2023

By Paul Scott, Assistant Editor.

Zhanhua Wang received his doctorate in polymer chemistry and physics from Jilin University under the supervision of Professor Bai Yang in 2011. He worked as a postdoctoral fellow with Professor Marek Urban at the University of Southern Mississippi and Clemson University. He moved to Wageningen University as a postdoctoral researcher and worked with Professor Han Zuilhof until 2016. He is a professor at the Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University. His scientific interests focus on bio-inspired anti-fouling coatings, covalent adaptive networks, self-healing and 3D printing of polymer materials.

Read Zhanhua’s Emerging Investigator article, Covalent adaptive networks with repairable, reprocessable, reconfigurable, recyclable, and re-adhesive (5R) performance via dynamic isocyanate chemistry, DOI D3PY00944K.

Check out our interview with Zhanhua below:

How do you feel about Polymer Chemistry as a place to publish research on this topic?

In my opinion, the topic about developing polymer materials with repairable, reprocessable, reconfigurable, recyclable, and re-adhesive (5R) performance via dynamic isocyanate chemistry quite fits the scope of the journal Polymer Chemistry since the dissociation mechanism on the isocyanate chemistry are discussed in detail in this review article.

What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment and what do you find most challenging about your research?

What I am most excited about my work is my current study can make a contribution to develop sustainable polymer materials. The most challenging aspect about my current research is how to realize the industrialization of 5R polymer materials.

In your opinion, what are the most important questions to be asked/answered in this field of research?

The most important questions to be asked/answered in this field of my research is how to balance the 5R performance and the service stability and mechanical performance.

Can you share one piece of career-related advice or wisdom with other early career scientists?

In my opinion, it would be very difficult to engage in a new field, but after persisting for a period of time, you can continuously learn and grow in this process, and will definitely become an expert in this field.

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Emerging Investigator Series – Elizabeth Elacqua

08 Dec 2023

By Paul Scott, Assistant Editor.

Beth received her B.S. Degree in Chemistry and Biology from Le Moyne College where her research focused on the total synthesis of natural products. She spent a year at SUNY-Environmental Science and Forestry at the Michael Szwarc Polymer Research Institute, then went to the University of Iowa. Beth worked in the research group of Leonard R. MacGillivray, and received her Ph.D. in 2012. After graduation, Beth started as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at New York University working alongside Marcus Weck at New York University from 2013 – 2017. In 2017, she joined the faculty at Penn State. The Elacqua group works at the interface of organic synthesis and polymer chemistry, focusing on grand challenges that lie at the interface of the two fields, and has been supported by the Doctoral New Investigator Award of the ACS and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, along with an NSF Center of Chemical Innovation and NSF CAREER award. Beth’s work has also been recognized by the ACS Division of Organic Chemistry’s Young Academic Investigator Award and the ACS Division of Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering Early Stage Investigator Award, along with the Rustum and Della Roy Materials Innovation Award at Penn State.

Read Beth’s Emerging Investigator article, Synthesis and characterization of a ruthenium-containing copolymer for use as a photoredox catalyst, DOI D3PY00428G.

Read our interview with Beth below:

How do you feel about Polymer Chemistry as a place to publish research on this topic?

Our group works on a diverse array of research that spans over polymer chemistry, organic synthesis, and catalysis. We often feel that the broad readership of Polymer Chemistry comprises scientists that are interested in all aspects of our group’s work which is often centered in fundamental polymer synthesis and a little less on applications. Thus, it is often a perfect place to submit papers that we feel are exciting from an overall polymer perspective and we know the readership will benefit from these findings.

Can you share one piece of career-related advice or wisdom with other early career scientists?

Honestly, all of our group’s main projects have been things that were not necessarily in my wheelhouse when I started academia. With that said, I think my advice would be to not shy away from learning new things that are exciting you and/or your group. New areas and directions can always be bolstered by collaborations and discussions with colleagues as well. It’s genuinely more fun to do the science that excites you and have that be boundless (within reason of course), then it is to feel limited by your background or exposure.

Keep up to date with all of Beth’s research by going to her website or following her on X @beth_elacqua.

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Emerging Investigator Series – Junpeng Wang

04 Dec 2023

By Paul Scott, Assistant Editor.

Junpeng Wang received his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Science and Technology of China in 2010 and his Ph.D. in Chemistry (advisor: Prof. Stephen Craig) from Duke University in 2015. He then worked with Prof. Luping Yu at the University of Chicago and Prof. Jeremiah Johnson at Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Postdoc before joining the University of Akron as an Assistant Professor of Polymer Science in 2019. Currently, his research is focused on how molecular information like molecular structures and intermolecular and intramolecular interactions impact macroscopic material properties. In particular, Junpeng brought new insights into the design of sustainable polymers by applying physical organic chemistry and polymer mechanochemistry approaches.

Read Junpeng’s Emerging Investigator article, Bulk depolymerization of graft polymers based on trans-cyclobutane-fused cyclooctene, DOI D3PY00812F.

Check out our interview with Junpeng below:

How do you feel about Polymer Chemistry as a place to publish research on this topic?

Polymer Chemistry is a journal that publishes solid work on innovative polymer chemistry research, and I am very pleased that our discovery on the bulk depolymerization of graft polymers can be published in Polymer Chemistry.

What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment and what do you find most challenging about your research?

I am actively working on solutions for sustainable polymers, and I am most excited that by applying principles in physical organic chemistry, we can bring new insights into the design of sustainable polymers. Sustainable polymers need to be competitive in properties and cost in order to replace current polymers. While my training allows me to study structure-property relationships to optimize material properties, I find it challenging to also take into account the cost and scalability. This is a grand challenge for the entire field of sustainable polymers, and I enjoy tackling the challenges.

In your opinion, what are the most important questions to be asked/answered in this field of research?

How can we design polymers that show material properties comparable to current ones while having the potential for industrial production?

Can you share one piece of career-related advice or wisdom with other early career scientists?

There are many tasks for an us early career scientist, and some of them might not be so enjoyable. We need to make sure that we spend time on the things you are most excited about everyday so that we stay motivated.

Keep up with Junpeng’s research by checking out his website or following him on X @JPChem1.

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Call for papers: Polymers for Gene Delivery

09 Nov 2023

By Paul Scott, Assistant Editor.

Call for papers: Polymers for Gene Delivery

Guest Edited by Professors Sébastien Perrier, Todd Emrick, Marxa Figueiredo, Youqing Shen and Zhuxian Zhou

The Royal Society of Chemistry journal Polymer Chemistry has announced an open call to submit your research to a themed collection on Polymers for Gene Delivery.

This themed collection is Guest Edited by:

Professor Sébastien Perrier, University of Warwick
Professor Todd Emrick, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Professor Marxa Figueiredo, Purdue University
Professor Youqing Shen, Zhejiang University
Professor Zhuxian Zhou, Zhejiang University

Open for submissions until 31st January 2024

Polymers are increasingly being studied as gene delivery vectors, with research ranging from fundamental studies to therapeutic applications. This themed collection will showcase the latest research in the field, with a focus on how the polymer’s design impacts functional properties and end use. Submitted papers will have a focus on how innovative polymer chemistry supports exciting properties, biological activity and/or therapeutic applications. Our aim for this collection is to celebrate the progress and strong contribution of polymer science in this area, and to inspire new research.

Submissions to the journal should fit within the scope of Polymer Chemistry and will undergo the normal initial assessment and peer review processes in line with the journal’s high standards, managed by the journal editors. Please see the journal’s website for more information on the journal scope, standards, article types and author guidelines.

Submit your work to Polymer Chemistry now!

If you would like to contribute to this themed collection, you can submit your article directly through the journal’s online submission service. Please add a “note to the editor” in the submission form when uploading your files to say that this is a contribution to the Polymers for Gene Delivery themed collection. The Editorial Office reserves the right to check suitability of submissions in relation to the scope of the collection, and inclusion of accepted articles in the final themed collection is not guaranteed.

If you would like more information about the Polymers for Gene Delivery themed collection, please email Polymers-rsc@rsc.org.

We look forward to receiving your submissions and showcasing this important research in our collections.

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Emerging Investigator Series – Annalisa Chiappone

31 Oct 2023

By Paul Scott, Assistant Editor.

Annalisa Chiappone is Assistant Professor in Industrial Chemistry in the Department of Chemical Science and Geology of the University of Cagliari since October 2021. With a background on materials engineering, she obtained her Ph.D. in Materials Science from Politecnico di Torino in 2012 with a Thesis on photocured polymer electrolytes membranes reinforced with natural fibers for Li-ion batteries. Afterwards, she moved to the Italian Institute of Technology, Center for Sustainable Future Technologies. She worked on the development of functional polymeric materials for different applications including sensors and materials for energy and electronics. In 2015 she moved her interests towards the development of smart formulations for 3D printing. In 2018, she moved back to Politecnico di Torino as researcher to set up a platform dedicated to 3D printing specifically focused on light activated reactions. She has now moved her research to the University of Cagliari where she is exploiting the chemistry facilities to improve the study on polymeric materials for advanced applications. Her interest are focused on photocurable polymers and light-induced 3D printing, she recently focused on the modification of natural polymers to make them suitable for 3D printing.

Read Annalisa’s Emerging Investigator article, Vat 3D printing of full-alginate hydrogels via thiol–ene reactions towards tissue engineering applications, DOI D3PY00902E.

Check out our interview with Annalisa below:

How do you feel about Polymer Chemistry as a place to publish research on this topic?

Polymer Chemistry, with its high quality and reliability, is undoubtedly a prestigious journal for polymer scientists, as all RSC journals are for chemists. Furthermore, Polymer Chemistry is a journal with a broad readership, interested in polymer synthesis but also with an eye on processing and applications, thus it is a perfect journal to showcase our work that aims at optimizing easy modification processes to make natural polymers suitable for 3D printing in view of their biomedical application.

What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment and what do you find most challenging about your research?

To be frank, since my academic studies, I have always been fascinated by polymer science and, still now, every new trial and every test that I do in my lab is something that excites me. So it’s hard to give a short answer to this question.

But, talking about my research, since 2015 I focused on the development of new materials for light-induced 3D printing. This processing technique is fascinating and can push the properties of materials to another level for their application in several fields. In the last years, we developed 3D printable polymers from natural sources, alginate is one example, to obtain 3D shaped hydrogels. The possibility to control the architecture of the hydrogels, maintaining the cytocompatibility of the natural polymers can help in making a step further in the biomedical field.

My new challenge is now the use of natural materials directly extracted from agri-food waste. Nature is a wiser chemist than us, and even waste can offer a large variety of molecules and polymers with fantastic properties, we just need to learn how to use to our best what we already have.

In your opinion, what are the most important questions to be asked/answered in this field of research?

The development of new material from waste is a topic that is gaining attention because we really need to enter in the mind-set of a greener chemistry. So, the question could be “How to do this in polymer chemistry?”. In my opinion the focus on waste valorization is a good start, but it’s not enough, I think that scientists must start looking at the impact of the whole processes that they develop, from extraction procedures to modification or synthesis and processing, each step must be as “green” as possible.

Can you share one piece of career-related advice or wisdom with other early career scientists?

What I have learned in the last years is the importance of good collaborations and good discussions with other scientists. Being able to listen to other’s ideas with a critical mind and discuss them, to build new projects, really helps in growing up as a scientist. And you never know, constructive ideas can come from somebody working in completely different environments and in other countries as well as from our office neighbour, you just need to communicate with an open mind.

Furthermore, it is also important to make the effort to talk with people working in different fields: even if sometimes it feels like talking in different languages, this can really open the eyes on different perspectives helping to have much better overview of your work.

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Polymer Chemistry Blog

Paper of the Month: A facile and versatile platform for preparing uniform π-conjugated nanofibers with controlled length and varying shells

Paper of the Month: Advancing antimicrobial polymer development: a novel database and accelerated design via machine learning

2025 Polymer Chemistry Lectureship – Open for Nominations

2024 Polymer Chemistry Lectureship awarded to Professor Haritz Sardon

Emerging Investigator Series – Maciek Kopeć

Emerging Investigator Series – Zhanhua Wang

Emerging Investigator Series – Elizabeth Elacqua

Emerging Investigator Series – Junpeng Wang

Call for papers: Polymers for Gene Delivery

Emerging Investigator Series – Annalisa Chiappone

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