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| Open AccessDirectly visualizing individual polyorganophosphazenes and their single-chain complexes with proteins
Polyorganophosphazenes are macromolecules that selfassemble with antigenic proteins to enable biological functionality. Here, direct imaging by cryogenic electron microscopy reveals the coil structure of their individual chains and compact stiffened coils of their complexes with proteins.
- Raman Hlushko
- , Edwin Pozharski
- & Alexander K. Andrianov
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Article
| Open AccessElastomers mechanically reinforced and toughened with CO2 gas
Gas-responsive polymers are unconventional smart materials that utilizes specific gases. Here, polydimethylsiloxane elastomers appended with amine groups react with CO2 leading to gas-induced mechanical reinforcement.
- Yohei Miwa
- , Hanako Yoneda
- & Shoichi Kutsumizu
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Article
| Open AccessBarnacle cement protein as an efficient bioinspired corrosion inhibitor
Metallic surfaces are often coated with corrosion inhibitors to prevent damage but these are typically toxic to the environment. Here, a recombinant adhesive cement protein from barnacles is shown to effectively protect steel against corrosion under marine environment conditions.
- My Hanh Bui
- , Shu Hui Hiew
- & Ali Miserez
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Article
| Open AccessOrdered π-conjugated polymer backbone in amorphous blend for high efficiency nonfullerene organic photovoltaics
The amorphous regions of π-conjugated polymers typically show lower functionality than the crystalline regions with high π–π stacking order. Here, a benzodithiophene–thiazolothiazole copolymer shows a greater coplanar backbone structure when the π–π stacking order is absent compared to the crystalline state.
- Masahiko Saito
- , Hiroya Yamada
- & Itaru Osaka
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Article
| Open AccessStretchable slide-ring supramolecular hydrogel for flexible electronic devices
Slide-ring hydrogels possess good mechanical properties but face synthesis challenges. Here, a slide-ring hydrogel is created via photo-initiated polymerization, with its good mechanical and electrical properties allows it to be used as a flexible strain sensor.
- Shuaipeng Wang
- , Yong Chen
- & Yu Liu
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Article
| Open AccessReducing crystallinity in solid polymer electrolytes for lithium-metal batteries via statistical copolymerization
Polyethylene oxide is a common solid polymer electrolyte for solid-state lithium metal batteries. Here, statistical copolymerization is shown to be an effective approach to reduce its crystallinity, enabling a high ionic conductivity during room temperature battery operation.
- Vincent St-Onge
- , Mengyang Cui
- & Jerome P. Claverie
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Article
| Open AccessTravelling colourful patterns in self-organized cellulose-based liquid crystalline structures
Cellulose is a naturally occurring system of interest for its chiral macromolecular structure. Here, colourful structural patterns are observed in a cellulose-based lyotropic cholesteric system, attributed to conformational self-adjustment of the cellulose chain to its environment.
- Pedro E. S. Silva
- , Ricardo Chagas
- & Maria Helena Godinho
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| Open AccessEffect of different monomer precursors with identical functionality on the properties of the polymer network
Understanding how monomers contribute to the properties of polymers is crucial. Here, molecular simulations reveal that polymer networks composed of chemically different monomers have several universal properties, and near-universal elastic moduli.
- Ariana Torres-Knoop
- , Verena Schamboeck
- & Ivan Kryven
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Article
| Open AccessMolecular mechanisms of cell cryopreservation with polyampholytes studied by solid-state NMR
Cellular cryopreservation is an important tool in modern biology. Here, previously reported polyampholyte cryoprotectants are studied by solid-state NMR, revealing the molecular mechanisms at play.
- Kazuaki Matsumura
- , Fumiaki Hayashi
- & Suong-Hyu Hyon