77213-89-9Relevant academic research and scientific papers
Chemically Triggered Synthesis, Remodeling, and Degradation of Soft Materials
Anslyn, Eric V.,Bachman, James L.,Chwatko, Malgorzata,Lee, Doo-Hee,Lynd, Nathaniel A.,Reuther, James F.,Sun, Xiaolong
, p. 3913 - 3922 (2020)
Polymer topology dictates dynamic and mechanical properties of materials. For most polymers, topology is a static characteristic. In this article, we present a strategy to chemically trigger dynamic topology changes in polymers in response to a specific chemical stimulus. Starting with a dimerized PEG and hydrophobic linear materials, a lightly cross-linked polymer, and a cross-linked hydrogel, transformations into an amphiphilic linear polymer, lightly cross-linked and linear random copolymers, a cross-linked polymer, and three different hydrogel matrices were achieved via two controllable cross-linking reactions: reversible conjugate additions and thiol-disulfide exchange. Significantly, all the polymers, before or after topological changes, can be triggered to degrade into thiol- or amine-terminated small molecules. The controllable transformations of polymeric morphologies and their degradation herald a new generation of smart materials.
