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Spirals are common in nature; however, they are rarely observed in polymer self-assembly systems, and the formation mechanism is not well understood. Herein, we report the formation of two-dimensional (2D) spiral patterns via microdisk substrate-mediated solution self-assembly of polypeptide-based rod-coil block copolymers. The spiral pattern consists of multiple strands assembled from the block copolymers, and two central points are observed. The spirals fit well with the Archimedean spiral model, and their chirality is dependent on the chirality of the polypeptide blocks. As revealed by a combination of experiments and theoretical simulations, these spirals are induced by an interplay of the parallel ordering tendency of the strands and circular confinement of the microdisks. This work presents the first example regarding substrate-mediated self-assembly of block copolymers into spirals. The gained information could not only enhance our understanding of natural spirals but also assist in both the controllable preparations and applications of spiral nanostructures.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jacsau.4c00324 | DOI Listing |
Front Microbiol
August 2025
Key Laboratory for Waste Plastics Biocatalytic Degradation and Recycling, College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing, China.
Polyurethane (PU), a segmented block copolymer with chemically resistant urethane linkages and tunable architecture, presents persistent biological recycling challenges. This study presents a Bacterial Laccase-Mediated System (BLMS) derived from for efficient degradation of polyester- and polyether-PU. Utilizing the laccase CotA and mediator 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), the BLMS demonstrated effective de polymerization of both commercial and self-synthesized PU foams, including polyester- and polyether-types.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Appl Mater Interfaces
September 2025
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, United States.
Distinctive polymer brushes (PBs) play a crucial role in providing a nonpreferential (neutral) surface for vertical orientation of block copolymers (BCPs). This bottom-up approach effectively aligns the formation of vertical lamellar and cylinder lattice structures from the BCP, which is crucial for nanopatterning and other applications. In conventional BCP self-assembly techniques, random copolymer brushes are commonly employed to achieve substrate neutrality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiomacromolecules
September 2025
State Key Laboratory of Molecular Engineering of Polymers, Department of Macromolecular Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains a formidable clinical challenge due to its aggressive behavior, lack of therapeutic targets, and poor prognosis. The PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway is highly activated in TNBC, making it a promising therapeutic target. Conventional PEGylated nanocarriers often face challenges, such as accelerated blood clearance and lysosomal trapping.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAngew Chem Int Ed Engl
September 2025
Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Adhesives are important in creating multilayer products, such as in packaging and construction. Most current hot-melt adhesives such as poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) and polyurethanes lack chemical recyclability and do not easily de-bond, complicating recycling. Here, we achieved tunable adhesive properties of chemically recyclable polyolefin-like multiblock copolymers through regulating the incorporation of crystalline hard blocks, amorphous soft blocks, and ester content highlighted by adhesive strengths up to 6.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnal Chem
September 2025
Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
In this Article, we present a novel data analysis method for the determination of copolymer composition from low-resolution mass spectra, such as those recorded in the linear mode of time-of-flight (TOF) mass analyzers. Our approach significantly extends the accessible molecular weight range, enabling reliable copolymer composition analysis even in the higher mass regions. At low resolution, the overlapping mass peaks in the higher mass range hinder a comprehensive characterization of the copolymers.
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