The researchers created polymer nanocrystals in uniform shape

Researchers at the University of Constance used direct polymerization to successfully produce nanocrystals in uniform shape.
Constam university CRC 1214 "Antho opposite particles as components: adjusting shapes, interactions and structures" research team, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) since 2016, has demonstrated a new water-based polymerization method for the generation of polymer nanoparticles with single-stranded and uniform shapes, unlike previous methods, involving high particle concentrations. The corresponding paper, entitled "Single-molecule nanocrystals in uniform shape through activated water catalytic polymerization", will be published in

. The newsletter is at 19.06.2019.
building blocks for pre-expected nanoparticle-based materials
nomeparticles are expected building blocks of nanoparticle-based materials with unrealted optical, electronic and mechanical properties. In order to build nanomaterials, nanoparticles of uniform shape and size are required. Although inorganic metal or metal oxide nanoparticles suitable for assembly can be generated in a variety of shapes, it has been difficult until now to make polymer nanoparticles in shapes other than spherical ones, as said Stefan Mecking, professor of chemical materials science at the University of Constance, and vice-chairman of CRC 1214: "In previous methods, single-stranded particles were prepared by post-polymer collapse or assembled by a solution of a single synthetic chain.
researchers have developed advanced catalytic
and one of the main challenges associated with this approach is to achieve live chain and particle growth that lasts for hours and reaches very high molecular weight, ideally producing single-stranded nanocrystals with ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. To this end, researchers have developed advanced catalysts. "We then conducted a series of pressure reactor tests to determine the ideal conditions for maintaining catalytic activity over a longer period of time and to gain an in-depth understanding of the chain and particle growth process," Mecking explains. The collogenic state of the reaction mixture is another key factor in obtaining the desired water-like particle dispersion.
High Particle Density
Contrary to many post-polymerization programs, Stefan Mecking and his team elaborated on a water-based polymerization method that produces high particle density, comparable to commercial polymer dispersions for coatings, paints, and other applications. Using a transmission electron microscope (TEM), the researchers were able to confirm that the resulting particles were made up of a single chain, showing a uniform distribution of shapes and sizes and not gathering. "Although our components may not exactly match the widely optimized inordern nanoparticle components, they look promising," Mecking concludes. "Over time, our insights into the use of water-based catalytic polymerization to prepare anthopoly opposite polymer nanocrystals may enable us to create polymer-based nanoparticle-based materials."