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Supramolecular polymers are polymers in which the monomers are linked through non-covalent interactions such as coordination bonds, π-π interactions or hydrogen bonds.
Supramolecular polymeric materials have exhibited attractive features such as self-healing, reversibility and stimuli-responsiveness but because of the weak bonding nature of most noncovalent interactions, constructing supramolecular polymer materials with high robustness remains challenging. Here, the authors describe the construction of highly robust stimuli-responsive supramolecular polymer networks by using only a tiny amount of metallacycles as the supramolecular crosslinkers.
Assembly of block copolymers can be controlled to give varying morphologies and functionalities, but there are still aspects of the process that are not well understood. Here, the authors report convoluted self-assembly behaviours of block copolymers with discotic liquid crystalline moieties.
The morphology and physical properties of polyisoprene ionomers co-neutralized with Na+ and Mg2+ in different ratios have been studied. The mechanical and self-healing properties of the ionomer were reinforced and disturbed, respectively, at over 25 % of the Mg2+ ratio, where linkage via Mg2+ in the network is pervasive throughout the material.
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.
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.
Structurally coloured composite films are flexible optical materials with potential in a range of applications, but their production is impacted by long time-frames and limited materials. Here, the authors report a method for the production of large scale films by shearing supramolecular composites.
The concepts of multistep processes and regioselectivity — fundamental in covalent synthesis — have now been applied to the non-covalent synthesis of sequence-controlled multiblock supramolecular polymers.
Combining equilibrium self-assembly with coupling mechanisms defying Newton’s third law allows for the design of programmable, time-varying, self-organized assemblies mimicking living matter.
A doughnut-shaped microstructure with single-handed helical feature has been created via the combination of bottom-up self-assembly and top-down solution depositing processes.
From the realization of their true nature one hundred years ago to the latest approaches for structuring materials using molecular weaving, high-molecular-weight polymers still have much to offer society.
