Adv Polym Sci (2013) 261: 321–390
DOI: 10.1007/12_2013_252
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
Published online: 16 November 2013
Twenty-First Century Polymer Science After
Staudinger: The Emergence of Dendrimers/
Dendritic Polymers as a Fourth Major
Architecture and Window to a New
Nano-periodic System
Donald A. Tomalia
Abstract Staudinger’s (1922) “macromolecular hypothesis” stating that most synthetic and natural polymers could be rationalized as extensive covalently linked
linear macromolecules, followed by Crick and Watson’s (1953) revelation that life
was actually based on poly(nucleotide), helical double-stranded variations of
Staudinger’s linear architectures, launched two of the most significant technological revolutions of the twentieth century. After Staudinger, a total of four major
polymer architectures were recognized and each architecture, namely, (I) linear,
(II) crosslinked (bridged), (III) branched, and (IV) dendritic (hyperbranched), is
highly valued for its intrinsic and unique macromolecular properties. Upon entering
the twenty-first century, members of architectural class IV, dendritic polymers
(i.e., dendrimers), have now been accepted by both chemists and physics as
quantized nanoscale building blocks due to their atom mimicry features and are
referred to as “soft superatoms.” Atom mimicry, manifested by both soft and hard
superatoms (i.e., organic and inorganic nanoscale clusters), has provided the first
steps towards a proposed new nano-periodic paradigm, based on first principles
from traditional chemistry and physics, for unifying nanoscience.
Keywords Atom mimicry Á Dendrimers Á Dendritic effects Á Hard/soft nanoelements Á Nanocompounds/assemblies Á Nano-periodic system Á Superatoms
D.A. Tomalia (*)
NanoSynthons LLC, The National Dendrimer and Nanotechnology Center,
1200 N. Fancher Avenue, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858, USA
e-mail: donald.tomalia@nanosynthons.com
DOI: 10.1007/12_2013_252
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
Published online: 16 November 2013
Twenty-First Century Polymer Science After
Staudinger: The Emergence of Dendrimers/
Dendritic Polymers as a Fourth Major
Architecture and Window to a New
Nano-periodic System
Donald A. Tomalia
Abstract Staudinger’s (1922) “macromolecular hypothesis” stating that most synthetic and natural polymers could be rationalized as extensive covalently linked
linear macromolecules, followed by Crick and Watson’s (1953) revelation that life
was actually based on poly(nucleotide), helical double-stranded variations of
Staudinger’s linear architectures, launched two of the most significant technological revolutions of the twentieth century. After Staudinger, a total of four major
polymer architectures were recognized and each architecture, namely, (I) linear,
(II) crosslinked (bridged), (III) branched, and (IV) dendritic (hyperbranched), is
highly valued for its intrinsic and unique macromolecular properties. Upon entering
the twenty-first century, members of architectural class IV, dendritic polymers
(i.e., dendrimers), have now been accepted by both chemists and physics as
quantized nanoscale building blocks due to their atom mimicry features and are
referred to as “soft superatoms.” Atom mimicry, manifested by both soft and hard
superatoms (i.e., organic and inorganic nanoscale clusters), has provided the first
steps towards a proposed new nano-periodic paradigm, based on first principles
from traditional chemistry and physics, for unifying nanoscience.
Keywords Atom mimicry Á Dendrimers Á Dendritic effects Á Hard/soft nanoelements Á Nanocompounds/assemblies Á Nano-periodic system Á Superatoms
D.A. Tomalia (*)
NanoSynthons LLC, The National Dendrimer and Nanotechnology Center,
1200 N. Fancher Avenue, Mt. Pleasant, MI 48858, USA
e-mail: donald.tomalia@nanosynthons.com