Adv Polym Sci (2013) 262: 345–362
DOI: 10.1007/12_2013_241
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
Published online: 20 October 2013
Nanomechanical Function Arising from
the Complex Architecture of Dendronized
Helical Polymers
Jonathan G. Rudick
Abstract Dendronized polymers that have a cylindrical shape and a helical
polymer backbone at the core of the cylinder are able to undergo reversible
stretching and contraction of the helix. As the helix expands, the cylindrical
macromolecule elongates like a molecular mechanical actuator. When the polymers
are self-organized in a columnar lattice, the cylinders can be aligned and the
extension of the individual molecules is amplified to macroscopic dimensions and
can be employed to perform work. Relationships between the complex architecture
of these polymers, their organization in bulk, and emergent function are discussed
as an example of the remarkable opportunities that remain to be explored as we
commemorate the 60th anniversary of Hermann Staudinger receiving the Nobel
Prize for Chemistry.
Keywords Dendronized polymer Á Liquid crystal Á Self-assembly Á Supramolecular
chemistry
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
2 Self-Organizable Dendronized Polymer Machines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
3 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
J.G. Rudick (*)
Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-3400, USA
e-mail: jon.rudick@stonybrook.edu
DOI: 10.1007/12_2013_241
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2013
Published online: 20 October 2013
Nanomechanical Function Arising from
the Complex Architecture of Dendronized
Helical Polymers
Jonathan G. Rudick
Abstract Dendronized polymers that have a cylindrical shape and a helical
polymer backbone at the core of the cylinder are able to undergo reversible
stretching and contraction of the helix. As the helix expands, the cylindrical
macromolecule elongates like a molecular mechanical actuator. When the polymers
are self-organized in a columnar lattice, the cylinders can be aligned and the
extension of the individual molecules is amplified to macroscopic dimensions and
can be employed to perform work. Relationships between the complex architecture
of these polymers, their organization in bulk, and emergent function are discussed
as an example of the remarkable opportunities that remain to be explored as we
commemorate the 60th anniversary of Hermann Staudinger receiving the Nobel
Prize for Chemistry.
Keywords Dendronized polymer Á Liquid crystal Á Self-assembly Á Supramolecular
chemistry
Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
2 Self-Organizable Dendronized Polymer Machines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
3 Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
J.G. Rudick (*)
Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-3400, USA
e-mail: jon.rudick@stonybrook.edu