Breaking translational symmetry via polymer chain overcrowding in molecular bottlebrush crystallization

Hao Qi; Xiting Liu; Daniel M. Henn; Shan Mei; Mark C. Staub; Bin Zhao; Christopher Y. Li

doi:10.1038/s41467-020-15477-5

Nature Communications (May 2020)

Breaking translational symmetry via polymer chain overcrowding in molecular bottlebrush crystallization

Hao Qi,
Xiting Liu,
Daniel M. Henn,
Shan Mei,
Mark C. Staub,
Bin Zhao,
Christopher Y. Li

Affiliations

Hao Qi: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University
Xiting Liu: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University
Daniel M. Henn: Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee
Shan Mei: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University
Mark C. Staub: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University
Bin Zhao: Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee
Christopher Y. Li: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Drexel University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-15477-5
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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One of the fundamental laws in crystallization is translational symmetry but breaking translational symmetry can be used as a general route towards the design of nanostructures. Here the authors show that overcrowding in molecular bottlebrush polymers allows for spontaneous formation of spherical hollow crystals with broken translational symmetry.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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