Macromolecules with programmable shape, size, and chemistry

Dylan J. Walsh, Damien Guironnet

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Shape, size, and composition are the most fundamental design features, enabling highly complex functionalities. Despite recent advances, the independent control of shape, size, and chemistry of macromolecules remains a synthetic challenge. We report a scalable methodology to produce large, well-defined macromolecules with programmable shape, size, and chemistry that combines reactor engineering principles and controlled polymerizations. Specifically, bottlebrush polymers with conical, ellipsoidal, and concave architectures are synthesized using two orthogonal polymerizations. The chemical versatility is highlighted by the synthesis of a compositional asymmetric cone. The strong agreement between predictions and experiments validates the precision that this methodology offers.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1538-1542
Number of pages5
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume116
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 29 2019

Keywords

  • Bottlebrush polymers
  • Polymer nanostructure
  • Reactor engineering

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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