Article
Polymer Science
Zhiying Li, Qianjin Lian, Youwei Xu, Yichuan Zhang, Pengfei Zhang, Jin Geng
Summary: A robust aggregation-induced emission luminogen photoaddition-fragmentation chain transfer (PET-RAFT) polymerization was investigated, resulting in the preparation of a variety of well-defined polymers with narrow polydispersities (D < 1.20). The use of low concentrations of a donor-acceptor (D-A) type aggregation-induced emission luminogen as a photocatalyst enabled polymerization under visible light at ambient temperature. Previous studies have mainly focused on organic solvents, with fewer investigations conducted in aqueous environments. This study successfully demonstrated the polymerization strategy in water with or without oxygen, leading to the synthesis of structure-controlled polymers. Furthermore, the fluorescence intensity of DCDPP-2TPA increased linearly with the degree of polymerization.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yuma Ueno, Hayato Nakazaki, Hina Onozaki, Shingo Tamesue
Summary: Researchers developed a growable adhesive gel system using RAFT polymerization, which can change its characteristics similar to human growth. The adhesive joint grown by RAFT polymerization showed higher adhesive strength and a function of thermal responsiveness compared to non-RAFT-polymerized adhesive joint. These growable adhesive gel systems enable long-term use of gel materials while adapting to environmental changes.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Zhongyuan Wan, Lee Wai Hin, Ataulla Shegiwal, David Haddleton
Summary: An addition-fragmentation monomer (AFM) is utilized in 3D printer resins to reduce shrinkage during polymerization. The AFM enables reversible network formation and improves mechanical performance. The AFM is synthesized via catalytic chain transfer polymerization (CCTP) and characterized using NMR and size exclusion chromatography (SEC). The incorporation of AFM as a crosslinker allows for rapid reversible covalent bond formation and reduces both polymerization shrinkage and stress buildup.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Organic
Simon Rothenbuehler, Adrian Gonzalez, Ioan Iacovache, Simon M. Langenegger, Benoit Zuber, Robert Haener
Summary: The supramolecular assembly of DNA conjugates with tetraphenylethylene (TPE) sticky ends into vesicular structures is studied in this research. The aggregation-induced emission (AIE) active TPE units are used to monitor the assembly process using fluorescence spectroscopy. The number of TPE modifications on the conjugates' overhangs influences the supramolecular assembly behavior, with a minimum of two TPE residues required for a well-defined assembly process. The designed DNA-based nanostructures offer customized functionalization for applications in DNA nanotechnology.
ORGANIC & BIOMOLECULAR CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Debkumar Bera, Mousumi Baruah, Asish K. Dehury, Animesh Samanta, Yatendra S. Chaudhary, Nirmal Goswami
Summary: Nanoscale assembly of ultrasmall metal nanoclusters using molecular forces has been shown to be a powerful strategy to manipulate their properties in various dimensions. In this study, we demonstrate the formation of kinetically trapped assemblies with enhanced photoluminescence and extended this principle to other materials. We also show a thermal energy driven process to isolate these assemblies, which exhibit thermodynamic stability and unique properties. Our strategy may have broader applications in creating different MNC-based assemblies with unforeseen arrangements and properties.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Iris Lamparth, David Wottawa, Jorg Angermann, Pascal Fassler, Robert Liska, Yohann Catel
Summary: This study investigated the effects of four new urethane-based AFCT agents on dental composites, which can improve mechanical properties and reduce shrinkage force, providing effective technological support for the formulation of low-shrinkage materials.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Arne Wolpers, Florian Baffie, Vincent Monteil, Franck D'Agosto
Summary: In this study, a dithiocarbamate chain transfer agent was used to synthesize statistical and diblock copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate, achieving various polymer compositions through good chain growth control, including linear diblock copolymers and a three-arm star copolymer.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Sofia L. Goodrich, Madison E. Ross, James B. Young, Brent S. Sumerlin
Summary: In this study, sonochemically initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization was achieved by employing low-frequency ultrasound at high monomer concentrations. Dilution with N,N-dimethylacetamide was found to increase the conversion rate.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Zhiqiang Cao, Guorong Ma, Mingwan Leng, Song Zhang, Jihua Chen, Changwoo Do, Kunlun Hong, Lei Fang, Xiaodan Gu
Summary: In this study, the solution assembly of conjugated polymers with varying side-chain lengths was quantitatively analyzed using multiple methods. The results showed that the conformational and aggregation behaviors of the polymers are highly sensitive to temperature and side chain length. Longer side chains led to a decrease in aggregation temperature, degree of aggregation, and size of aggregates. At higher temperatures, the polymers dissolved completely and adopted a semiflexible coil conformation.
ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Kazunori Masuko, Chiharu Kumano, Ryo Sugawara, Kazuhiro Nakabayashi, Hideharu Mori
Summary: A variety of amino-acid-based amphiphilic diblock copolymer nano-objects with different morphologies were prepared through RAFT dispersion polymerization of styrene in methanol, utilizing six different hydrophilic poly(N-acryloyl amino acid) macro-chain transfer agents. The effects of polymerization conditions, monomer conversion, and concentration were systematically studied to achieve the formation of nano-objects with various morphologies. By transforming the products from methanol to water, pH-responsive morphological changes were observed in the aqueous solution.
JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Benjamin Grob, Benedikt Frieser, Robert Liska, Yohann Catel
Summary: Polymerization shrinkage and shrinkage stress are crucial issues in dental restorations. Addition fragmentation chain transfer agents (AFCT agents) are effective in reducing shrinkage stress. Four novel polymerizable allyl sulfides were synthesized and evaluated in dental composites. AFCT-based composites showed good performance.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Qimin Jiang, Liang Zhao, Yongzhuang Du, Wenyan Huang, Xiaoqiang Xue, Hongjun Yang, Li Jiang, Qilin Jiang, Bibiao Jiang
Summary: This study describes the one-pot synthesis of novel thermoresponsive nonconjugated fluorescent branched poly(ether amide)s and characterizes their structure and properties through a series of analysis methods. The results show that these polymers have a lower critical solution temperature and exhibit LCST-dependent fluorescent behavior within a specific temperature range. Moreover, these polymers demonstrate good biocompatibility and bright cell imaging capabilities.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ren-Wu Huang, Xin Song, Shulin Chen, Jun Yin, Partha Maity, Jiayi Wang, Bingyao Shao, Hongwei Zhu, Chunwei Dong, Peng Yuan, Taimoor Ahmad, Omar F. F. Mohammed, Osman M. M. Bakr
Summary: Zero-dimensional (0D) scintillation materials are of great interest for the fabrication of flexible high-energy radiation scintillation screens. Challenges still persist in the development of 0D scintillators, but a strategy based on metal nanoclusters shows promise in overcoming these limitations. This work demonstrates the synthesis and self-assembly of atomically precise nanoclusters with high phosphorescence quantum yield, AIEE behavior, and intense radioluminescence. The self-assembled nanoclusters can be used as building blocks for flexible particle-deposited scintillation films with high-resolution X-ray imaging performance.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chuan Gao, Andreas Vargas Jentzsch, Emilie Moulin, Nicolas Giuseppone
Summary: In this study, a unidirectional light-driven rotary motor was created by linking two polymer chains between the stator and rotor parts. By tuning the size of the linkers, the motor exhibited clockwise and reverse rotations, leading to increased fluorescence emission. The apparent thermal energies of activation were calculated to quantitatively determine the work generated by the rotary motor.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jianyu Zhang, Lianrui Hu, Kaihua Zhang, Junkai Liu, Xingguang Li, Haoran Wang, Zhaoyu Wang, Herman H. Y. Sung, Ian D. Williams, Zebing Zeng, Jacky W. Y. Lam, Haoke Zhang, Ben Zhong Tang
Summary: Experimental and theoretical studies show that introducing electron-donating groups into triphenylmethane (TPM) can enhance the efficiency of clusteroluminescence, while introducing electron-withdrawing groups may result in quenched clusteroluminescence.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Jiannan Cheng, Qing Yu, Kai Tu, Jinying Wang, Lifen Zhang, Zhenping Cheng
Summary: This study presents a controlled method for the formation of ellipsoidal micelles, disklike micelles, and sheets by hierarchical self-assembly of triphilic main-chain-type semifluorinated alternating graft copolymers. The possible self-assembly mechanism of these micron-level aggregates is proposed, providing new insights for the synthesis of main-chain-type fluorinated graft copolymers and the research field of solution self-assembly of fluorinated copolymers.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Xin Pan, Shubei Ma, Xiaowen Sui, Lili Xie, Furong Li, Zhengping Cheng, Li Cui, Hongling Zhao
Summary: This study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the use of intravenous thrombolytic therapy (ITT) for acute ischemic stroke patients in Dalian, China in 2020. The results showed an increase in the number of patients receiving ITT in 2021 compared to 2020, along with a decrease in door-to-needle time. It was also found that in 2020, a significant number of patients did not use ambulance transport, while in 2021, a higher percentage of patients used ambulance transport.
Article
Polymer Science
Jiannan Cheng, Xiang Xu, Qing Yu, Chaojie Li, Weiwei He, Lifen Zhang, Zhenping Cheng
Summary: We report a facile method to synthesize graft copolymers with a semi-fluorinated alternating backbone via simultaneous CuAAC reaction and ATRP. The synthesis of fluorinated backbone from START polymerization can be introduced to the graft copolymers due to the powerful tolerance and designability of semi-fluorinated alternating copolymers. This strategy provides a new and facile approach for the synthesis of fluorinated graft copolymers under mild conditions.
Article
Polymer Science
Xiang Xu, Haihui Li, Jiannan Cheng, Lifen Zhang, Zhenping Cheng
Summary: We presented a near-infrared light-responsive hydrogel material composed of two monomers, an ionic liquid monomer (TVBP) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), with a diacrylate crosslinker containing poly(propylene glycol), all of which are temperature sensitive. The ionic liquid monomer TVBP demonstrated the ability to generate high osmotic pressure, enabling the hydrogel to extract fresh water from brackish water. By using photothermal conversion through irradiation with NIR LED light on croconaine dye-doped silica nanoparticles (NIR-800@SiO2 NPs), around 95% of fresh water could be skillfully recovered from the hydrogel. The proposal of this scheme is expected to be a significant reference for continuous water desalination.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Bowen Zhao, Jiajia Li, Guangliang Li, Xinrui Yang, Shaopu Lu, Xiangqiang Pan, Jian Zhu
Summary: The application of reversible deactivation radical polymerization techniques in 3D printing allows for the creation of living polymer networks with various functionalities. However, the speed at which these systems can build objects is still limited. This article presents a digital light processing (DLP)-based 3D printing system that uses photoinduced free radical-promoted cationic reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization of vinyl ethers to build living objects at a relatively fast speed (12.99 cm h(-1)) using a commercial DLP 3D printer. The polymerization behavior and printing conditions are studied, and the livingness of the printed objects is demonstrated through spatially controlled postmodification with a fluorescent monomer.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Qing Yu, Jinying Wang, Jiannan Cheng, Lifen Zhang, Zhenping Cheng
Summary: Amphiphobic coating surfaces were fabricated by simple spin coating of fluorinated reversed micelles synthesized via a polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) strategy. The influence of reaction solvent and polymerization conditions on the wettability of the reversed micelles was investigated. The method showed high water contact angles (151.9 degrees) and low sliding angle (5.0 degrees), making it a promising approach for fabricating amphiphobic surfaces.
APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Qing Yu, Jiannan Cheng, Xiang Xu, Yu Li, Chaojie Li, Weiwei He, Lifen Zhang, Zhenping Cheng
Summary: In this study, fluorinated macromolecular coupling agents were prepared and decorated on the surface of silica nanoparticles to create superhydrophobic coatings. The coatings exhibited excellent stability against acidic, basic, and high salty solutions, and demonstrated self-cleaning and oil/water separation capabilities. The findings have promising implications for practical applications on a large scale.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Shuaijie Chen, Minghui Yang, Haihui Li, Haitao Zhao, Xiang Xu, Weiwei He, Lifen Zhang, Zhenping Cheng
Summary: This work presents a facile and efficient strategy for preparing block copolymers by combining near-infrared light-controlled bromine-iodine transformation reversible-deactivation radical polymerization (BIT-RDRP) and purple LED light induced ring-opening polymerization (ROP). The macroinitiator was first synthesized via NIR light-controlled BIT-RDRP, and then the block copolymers with narrow dispersity (as low as 1.06) were prepared by combining purple LED light induced ROP through two step or one pot process. Importantly, the one pot strategy greatly simplifies the operation process and improves the synthesis efficiency, facilitating the batch preparation of block copolymers.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Xiang Xu, Jiannan Cheng, Haitao Zhao, Weiwei He, Lifen Zhang, Zhenping Cheng
Summary: In this work, a series of near-infrared light (NIR)-responsive vitrimers are synthesized using carboxyl-bearing croconaine dye (CR-800) as a photothermal agent. NIR-responsive liquid crystalline elastomers (CR-vitrimer-LCEs) are further prepared under NIR laser without a template. The dynamic covalent bonding properties of vitrimer allow for the fabrication of a hand-shaped actuator with fingers of different NIR-response threshold values, which successfully achieve local and sequential control under a uniform NIR light field.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Shusu Ren, Xiang Xu, Jiyuan Sun, Haitao Zhao, Weiwei He, Lifen Zhang, Zhenping Cheng
Summary: This study synthesized a series of cationic porphyrin-based star-shaped copolymers using photo-controlled bromine-iodine transformation reversible-deactivation radical polymerization. The effects of alkyl chain length, degree of polymerization, and hydrophilic-hydrophobic balance on the antibacterial activity of the polymers were investigated. The resulting copolymer Zn@P6 showed excellent photodynamic inhibition activity against both S. aureus and E. coli, with low cytotoxicity and promising biological application prospects.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Shunhu Zhang, Chun Tian, Xiaowu Jiang, Xiang Xu, Haitao Zhao, Jiyuan Sun, Lifen Zhang, Zhenping Cheng
Summary: Two synthetic strategies were developed to improve the solubility and recyclability of NIR photocatalyst: living polymers with permanent NIR photocatalyst by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, and non-living polymers with recyclable NIR macro-photocatalyst by conventional radical polymerization. The living macro-PCs obtained from RAFT polymerization showed permanent NIR photocatalysis, while the water-soluble non-living macro-PCs from conventional radical polymerization exhibited only NIR photocatalysis but could be easily recycled by centrifugation.
EUROPEAN POLYMER JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Haitao Zhao, Guoqing Bian, Xiang Xu, Ran Liu, Weiwei He, Lifen Zhang, Zhenping Cheng
Summary: In this study, a high-efficiency NIR-photocontrolled bromine-iodine transformation RDRP (BIT-RDRP) system was developed by using persistent radical anions (PRAs) as catalysts. The electron-deficient species NTCDA can be reduced to PRAs, which are activated by NIR light to initiate polymerizations. The catalytic system achieved a monomer conversion of over 97.0% within 180-240min, demonstrating controllable polymerization. Other types of PRA catalysts were also developed, confirming the catalytic mechanism. This study opens up a new direction for the further development of NIR-photocontrolled RDRP.
Article
Polymer Science
Sisi Chen, Mengyao Zhang, Qingyuan Li, Jiachen Li, Shengpeng Wu, Jian Zhou, Guoqing Jin, Zhengbiao Zhang, Xiangqiang Pan, Jian Zhu
Summary: Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are versatile polymer materials used in various applications, but the contradiction between reprogrammability and stable actuation performance remains a challenge. Introducing photoactivated dynamic covalent bonds (DCBs) into thermotropic LCEs can help address this issue. This study utilizes allyl selenide chemistry to achieve multiple network reconfigurations of LCEs under visible light conditions (405-450nm). The mild stimulation conditions and sustainable dynamic exchange capability offer great potential for the application and design of covalently adaptable LCEs.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Xiang Xu, Jiannan Cheng, Haitao Zhao, Weiwei He, Lifen Zhang, Zhenping Cheng
Summary: In this study, a hand-shaped actuator is developed by synthesizing near-infrared sensitive CR-vitrimers, which achieves local and sequential control under a uniform near-infrared light field.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Xia Lin, Qianxi Gu, Jiajia Li, Jian Zhu
Summary: In this study, a facile and robust method for living cationic polymerization using zinc wire as a catalyst precursor was developed. Well-defined poly(vinyl ether)s with various molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions were obtained at room temperature. The in situ generation of trace zinc ions was found to be the key to the mild conditions of the polymerization. The utilization of zinc wire offered advantages of reusability, easy separation, and low metal residue. Moreover, the method was successfully applied in continuous flow polymerization, showing potential for scalable and efficient industrial production under mild conditions.
