Crystalline polysaccharides, which are abundant in nature, can be transformed into highly functional materials. However, the molecular basis for the formation of higher-order structures remains incompletely understood. Computer simulation is an advanced tool for modeling macromolecular structures, with atomistic simulations providing valuable information on crystalline polysaccharides. This focus review covers theoretical and computational studies, including atomistic simulations, performed by our research group on the crystallographic properties and novel nanostructures of cellulose, crystal structure of amylose analog polysaccharides, and dissolution mechanism of cellulose and chitin crystalline fibers.

Double-stranded polymers have attracted attention due to their elegant structures and potential properties arising from their topology. In this work, we performed cross-linking polymerization of an active ester acrylate monomer within the nanochannels of a metal‒organic framework (MOF). The spatial constraints in the MOF facilitated the formation of a polymer duplex. Subsequently, transformation of the side chains could be achieved without altering the double-stranded topology, providing a variety of functional vinyl polymer duplexes.

This focus review presents our recent research on enhancing the mechanical properties of gel electrolytes and their application in lithium secondary batteries. It discusses the efforts made to achieve self-healing ion gels, which utilize ionic liquids as the electrolyte solutions. Additionally, the review covers the application of functional gel electrolytes in next-generation lithium secondary batteries. It focuses particularly on improving the cycling performance of lithium metal anodes, which are considered the very promising anode material.

Poly(dialkyl fumarate)s (PDRFs) with a rigid poly(substituted methylene) structure are highly transparent amorphous polymer materials with excellent heat resistance, mechanical, and optical properties. In this study, we performed a radical polymerization of symmetric and asymmetric dialkyl fumarates, including 4-tert-butylcyclohexyl esters with a fixed cycloalkyl conformation, and found that the β transition temperatures, refractive indices, and densities of the PDRFs increased with the introduction of the 4-tert-butylcyclohexyl group. The density, optical properties, and spontaneous aggregation structures of the PDRF in the solid state were discussed.

Thermal curing reactions of p-tert-butylcalix[n]arenes (Cn: n = 4, 6, and 8) with 1,3-phenylenebis(2-oxazoline) (PBO) were conducted, and the obtained thermosets were characterized. The dynamic mechanical analyses of the thermosets revealed that the glass transition temperature (T_g) increased in the following order: C4/PBO < C8/PBO < C6/PBO. Meanwhile, model reactions indicated that the crosslinking degree increased as the ring size of the calixarene increased. The highest T_g of the C6/PBO thermoset was due to the moderate reactivity and rigidity of the cyclic structure of C6.

Polyamidoamine dendrimers modified with cis-1,2-cyclohexane dicarboxylic acid and phenylalanine, named PAMAM-CHex-Phe, with various numbers of Phe residues were synthesized as dual pH- and temperature-sensitive polymers. PAMAM-CHex-Phe, with fewer than 32 Phe residues, showed lower critical solution temperature (LCST)-type thermosensitivity at pH 5. PAMAM-CHex-Phe40 and PAMAM-CHex-Phe48 exhibited both LCST- and upper critical solution temperature (UCST)-type thermosensitivity at pH values of 5 and 6, respectively. PAMAM-CHex-Phe64 showed UCST-type thermosensitivity. Our results indicate that thermosensitivity can be regulated by changing the number of Phe residues in PAMAM-CHex-Phe and the solution pH.

This focus review describes two types of thermoplastic films developed via formulation design technology for mmWave communication. The first type is a crystalline polyaryletherketone (PAEK)-based film, which is improved with plate-like fillers and miscible noncrystalline polymers. This film exhibits low dielectric properties, heat resistance, low thermal expansion, and excellent multilayer processing capabilities. The second type is a specialized polyolefin resin-based film, which achieves ultralow dielectric properties comparable to those of PTFE and combines excellent copper adhesion with customizable functionalities such as laser processability, transparency, and flame retardancy.

Wollastonite (W)/carbon black (CB)/chlorinated polyethylene (CPE) conductive composites were prepared via melt compounding using CB and wollastonite as fillers and CPE as the matrix. The results indicated that the room temperature resistivity of CPE/CB/wollastonite composites decreased to 1.66Ω·cm after 1 hour of heat treatment, and the PTC strength reached 4.7. Subsequently, the relationship between the internal structure of the materials, changes in crystallinity, and PTC properties was analyzed using X-ray diffractometry and DSC differential scanning calorimetry.

Photodynamic therapy using photosensitizers as therapeutic agents has various advantages such as high antitumor efficacy, spatiotemporal selectivity, and noninvasiveness. However, photosensitizers also accumulate in normal tissues as well as tumor tissues, causing side effects. Here, we report chlorophyll‒peptide conjugates as novel photosensitizers to decrease the side effect. The assembled conjugates are expected to exhibit tumor-selective accumulation and tumor-selective activation of phototoxicity.