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  • Review Article
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Material properties and applications of mechanically interlocked polymers

Nature Reviews Materials volume 6, pages 508–530 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

Mechanically interlocked polymers (MIPs), such as polyrotaxanes and polycatenanes, are polymer architectures that incorporate a mechanical bond. In a polyrotaxane, the mechanical bond is the result of a linear dumbbell component threaded through a ring, while in a polycatenane, it is the consequence of interlocked ring components. The interlocked nature of these architectures can result in high degrees of conformational freedom and mobility of their components, which can give rise to unique property profiles. In recent years, the synthesis and studies of a range of MIPs has allowed researchers to build an initial understanding of how incorporating mechanical bonds within a polymer structure impacts its material properties. This Review focuses on the understanding of these structure–property relationships with an outlook towards their applications, specifically focusing on four main classes of MIPs: polyrotaxanes, slide-ring gels, daisy-chain polymers and polycatenanes.

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Fig. 1: Mechanically interlocked molecules and polymers.
Fig. 2: Polyrotaxanes.
Fig. 3: Main-chain polyrotaxane properties and behaviour.
Fig. 4: ‘Pulley effect’ in figure-of-eight slide-ring materials.
Fig. 5: Structure–property relationships in slide-ring materials.
Fig. 6: Engineering slide-ring materials for targeted applications.
Fig. 7: [c2]Daisy-chain polymers.
Fig. 8: Poly[2]catenane materials.
Fig. 9: Poly[n]catenanes and Olympic gels.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by National Science Foundation (NSF) grant number CHE-1903603. P.M.R. thanks the NSF for the award of a Graduate Research Fellowship, grant number 1746045.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Laura F. Hart, Jerald E. Hertzog, Phillip M. Rauscher, Benjamin W. Rawe, Marissa M. Tranquilli.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Laura F. Hart, Phillip M. Rauscher, Benjamin W. Rawe & Stuart J. Rowan

  2. Department of Chemistry, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Jerald E. Hertzog, Marissa M. Tranquilli & Stuart J. Rowan

  3. Chemical and Engineering Sciences, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, USA

    Stuart J. Rowan

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All authors contributed to the writing, reviewing and editing of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Stuart J. Rowan.

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Hart, L.F., Hertzog, J.E., Rauscher, P.M. et al. Material properties and applications of mechanically interlocked polymers. Nat Rev Mater 6, 508–530 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-021-00278-z

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