Polymer Chemistry Blog

Hot Article: Shape evolution control of phase-separated colloidal nanoparticles

02 Nov 2010

In the latest Polymer Chemistry Hot Article, Cathrin Corten and Marek Urban at the University of Southern Mississippi, USA, investigate the evolution of shape in colloidal particles. In the paper they study colloidal nanoparticle made from two phase-separated copolymers poly(methylmethacrylate) (p-MMA)/n-butylacrylate (nBA) and poly(nBA)/pentafluorostyrene (p-PFS).

These studies show for the first time that the synthesis of two distinct phase-separated copolymers within one colloidal nanoparticle allows control of the nanoparticle morphology by compositional and interfacial adjustments.

Interested to know more? Why not read the full article for free here: Cathrin C. Corten and Marek W. Urban, Polym. Chem., 2011, DOI:10.1039/C0PY00220H

Comments Off on Hot Article: Shape evolution control of phase-separated colloidal nanoparticles

Top Ten most-read Polymer Chemistry articles in September

01 Nov 2010

By Vibhuti Patel, Deputy Editor.

The latest top ten most downloaded Polymer Chemistry articles

See the most-read papers of September 2010 here:

Stamps, inks and substrates: polymers in microcontact printing

Tobias Kaufmann and Bart Jan Ravoo, Polym. Chem., 2010, 1, 371-387
DOI: 10.1039/B9PY00281B

Self-healing and self-mendable polymers

Jay A. Syrett, C. Remzi Becer and David M. Haddleton, Polym. Chem., 2010, 1, 978-987
DOI: 10.1039/C0PY00104J

Conjugated polymers for high-efficiency organic photovoltaics

Xiaowei Zhan and Daoben Zhu, Polym. Chem., 2010, 1, 409-419
DOI: 10.1039/B9PY00325H

Investigation into thiol-(meth)acrylate Michael addition reactions using amine and phosphine catalysts

Guang-Zhao Li, Rajan K. Randev, Alexander H. Soeriyadi, Gregory Rees, Cyrille Boyer, Zhen Tong, Thomas P. Davis, C. Remzi Becer and David M. Haddleton, Polym. Chem., 2010, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C0PY00100G

Synthesis of nanogels/microgels by conventional and controlled radical crosslinking copolymerization

Nicolas Sanson and Jutta Rieger, Polym. Chem., 2010, 1, 965-977
DOI: 10.1039/C0PY00010H

Thiol-ene “click” reactions and recent applications in polymer and materials synthesis

Andrew B. Lowe, Polym. Chem., 2010, 1, 17-36
DOI: 10.1039/B9PY00216B

How controlled and versatile is N-carboxy anhydride (NCA) polymerization at 0 °C? Effect of temperature on homo-, block- and graft (co)polymerization

Gijs J. M. Habraken, Maloes Peeters, Carin H. J. T. Dietz, Cor E. Koning and Andreas Heise, Polym. Chem., 2010, 1, 514-524
DOI: 10.1039/B9PY00337A

Recent developments in polymer stabilised liquid crystals

Ingo Dierking, Polym. Chem., 2010, 1, 1153-1159
DOI: 10.1039/C0PY00087F

Furans as offspring of sugars and polysaccharides and progenitors of a family of remarkable polymers: a review of recent progress

Alessandro Gandini, Polym. Chem., 2010, 1, 245-251
DOI: 10.1039/B9PY00233B

Progress in ionic organic-inorganic composite membranes for fuel cell applications

R. K. Nagarale, Woonsup Shin and Pramod K. Singh, Polym. Chem., 2010, 1, 388-408
DOI: 10.1039/B9PY00235A

Comments Off on Top Ten most-read Polymer Chemistry articles in September

Hot Article: Cyclodextrin functionalized polymers as drug delivery systems

28 Oct 2010

By Russell Johnson, Development Editor.

The hollow structure of cyclodextrins makes them promising hosts for drugs. By attaching polymers to the cyclodextrin ring scientists can create new materials to use as drug delivery systems. One advantage of attaching the polymer is that it allows the delivery properties to be tailored by modifying the polymer as well as the cyclodextrin host.

The review by Jiawen Zhou and Helmut Ritter, Heinrich-Heine University of Düsseldorf, Germany, focuses on the recent advances made with cyclodextrins in polymer chemistry and their applications in drug delivery systems. They discuss the opportunities for using click reactions to covalently attached polymer chains to cyclodextrins, and other examples for functionalizing cyclodextrin.

Fancy knowing more? Read the article for free here:

Don’t forget you can keep up to date with all the latest news in Polymer Chemistry by following us on Twitter or Finding us on Facebook

Comments Off on Hot Article: Cyclodextrin functionalized polymers as drug delivery systems

Hot Article: Synthesis and self-assembly of amphiphilic semi-brush and dual brush block copolymers in solution and on surfaces

25 Oct 2010

By Russell Johnson, Development Editor.

Scientists have made giant surfactants that form globular micelles in water and can spread to worm-like structures on surfaces. The surfactants are formed from amphiphilic block copolymers and synthesised by combining RAFT and ATRP techniques.

In aqueous solution, the polymers aggregate into globular micellar aggregates, their size being determined by the length of the stretched polymer molecules. For the dual brush copolymer, a rather compact structure is formed, which is dominated by the large hydrophobic poly(n-butyl acrylate) block. On mica surfaces the triblock copolymers adsorb with worm-like backbones and stretched out side chains.

Read the full article for free here:
Daniel Zehm, André Laschewsky, Peggy Heunemann, Michael Gradzielski, Sylvain Prévost, Hua Liang, Jürgen P. Rabe and Jean-François Lutz, Polym. Chem., 2011, DOI:10.1039/C0PY00200C

Comments Off on Hot Article: Synthesis and self-assembly of amphiphilic semi-brush and dual brush block copolymers in solution and on surfaces

Hot Article: Probing cucurbit[8]uril-mediated supramolecular block copolymer assembly in water using diffusion NMR

22 Oct 2010

By Russell Johnson, Development Editor.

Oren Scherman and co-workers at the University of Cambridge, UK, have used diffusion NMR and solution viscometry to probe cucurbituril-mediated host–guest polymer self assembly. The polymer studied was a 5-component supramolecular ABA triblock copolymer in aqueous solution.

The team showed the utility of DOSY NMR for probing the multi-component assembly of supramolecular block copolymers formed through host–guest chemistry. The NMR approach offers a non-invasive, and in situ method to visualise the multi-component assembly process.

Fancy knowing more? Read the article for free here:

Comments Off on Hot Article: Probing cucurbit[8]uril-mediated supramolecular block copolymer assembly in water using diffusion NMR

Hot Article: One-pot synthesis of polymeric nanomaterials via RAFT dispersion polymerization induced self-assembly and re-organization

18 Oct 2010

By Russell Johnson, Development Editor.

Wen-Ming Wan and Cai-Yuan Pan have developed a strategy for preparing multiple nanostructural materials. The method creates the materials directly from controlled radical dispersion polymerization and polymerization-induced self-assembling and re-organization in one pot. Various morphologies including spherical micelles, nanowires, tubes, vesicles, large compound vesicles etc. can be prepared directly in this way.

Download the paper here to read the full method and experimental details.

Comments Off on Hot Article: One-pot synthesis of polymeric nanomaterials via RAFT dispersion polymerization induced self-assembly and re-organization

Polymer Chemistry, 2010, Issue 9 – Out now!

15 Oct 2010

By Russell Johnson, Development Editor.

The outside front cover features a review by Maria Asplund, Tobias Nyberg and Olle Inganäs on Electroactive polymers for neural interfaces. This review addresses the possibilities conducting polymers offer for improving neural interfaces. The design and desirable properties of the polymer electrodes, to facilitate integration with the biological system, are also explored.

The review Polymer–protein conjugates: an enzymatic activity perspective by Marc A. Gauthier and Harm-Anton Klok is highlighted on the inside front cover. This review article describes the influence the parameters related to the polymer on the enzymatic activity of protein–polymer conjugates.

Keep up-to-date with all the latest news from Polymer Chemistry!

Comments Off on Polymer Chemistry, 2010, Issue 9 – Out now!

Hot Article: Redox-controlled ‘smart’ polyacrylamide solubility

13 Oct 2010

By Russell Johnson, Development Editor.

A team led by James Batteas and David Bergbreiter at Texas A&M University, USA, have designed “smart” acrylamide copolymers with reversible redox behaviour which changes lower critical solution temperature. The polymers are contain on N-isopropyl and 4-N-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl-4-yl (TEMPO) groups. Oxidation or reduction varies the copolymer’s lower critical solution temperature from 18 °C to 35–40 °C.

The team say that these smart polymers could lead to the design of redox-sensitive materials for drug delivery applications in vivo or in the synthesis of surfaces with redox-mediated wettability.

To find out more, why not download the article today?

Comments Off on Hot Article: Redox-controlled ‘smart’ polyacrylamide solubility

Zing Polymer Chemistry conference

12 Oct 2010

By Liz Davies, Editor.

I will be attending the Zing Polymer Chemistry conference in November. The line-up of speakers looks excellent and the location idyllic! The conference, chaired by Heather Maynard and our Associate Editor Eva Harth, starts on Friday 19th November and ends the following Monday.

Let me know if you are also attending!

Liz Davies
Managing Editor, Polymer Chemistry

Comments Off on Zing Polymer Chemistry conference

Hot Article: A superamplification effect in the detection of explosives by a fluorescent hyperbranched poly(silylenephenylene) with aggregation-enhanced emission characteristics

07 Oct 2010

By Russell Johnson, Development Editor.

A team of scientists led by Ben Zhong Tang at The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, China, have developed a highly sensitive chemosensor for detecting explosives.

The sensor is based on the quenching of fluorescence. Light emission of a hyperbranched poly(silylenephenylene) is quenched exponentially by picric acid, with quenching constant up to 1.5 × 105 L mol−1. This superamplification effect makes the polymer a highly sensitive chemosensor for explosive detection.

Interested to know more? Read the full article here:
Jianzhao Liu, Yongchun Zhong, Ping Lu, Yuning Hong, Jacky W. Y. Lam, Mahtab Faisal, Yong Yu, Kam Sing Wong and Ben Zhong Tang, Polym. Chem., 2010, 1, 426-429 DOI:10.1039/C0PY00046A

Comments Off on Hot Article: A superamplification effect in the detection of explosives by a fluorescent hyperbranched poly(silylenephenylene) with aggregation-enhanced emission characteristics

Polymer Chemistry Blog

Hot Article: Shape evolution control of phase-separated colloidal nanoparticles

Top Ten most-read Polymer Chemistry articles in September

Hot Article: Cyclodextrin functionalized polymers as drug delivery systems

Hot Article: Synthesis and self-assembly of amphiphilic semi-brush and dual brush block copolymers in solution and on surfaces

Hot Article: Probing cucurbit[8]uril-mediated supramolecular block copolymer assembly in water using diffusion NMR

Hot Article: One-pot synthesis of polymeric nanomaterials via RAFT dispersion polymerization induced self-assembly and re-organization

Polymer Chemistry, 2010, Issue 9 – Out now!

Hot Article: Redox-controlled ‘smart’ polyacrylamide solubility

Zing Polymer Chemistry conference

Hot Article: A superamplification effect in the detection of explosives by a fluorescent hyperbranched poly(silylenephenylene) with aggregation-enhanced emission characteristics

Links

Categories

Archives

Meta