Gel Publications

 

Published Work

1. “Counting Primary Loops in Polymer Gels”
H. Zhou, J. Woo, A. M. Cok, M. Wang, B. D. Olsen, and J. A. Johnson, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 2012, 109, 19119-19124.

"Counting Primary Loops in Polymer Gels"
A simple conceptual framework is presented that enables primary loop quantification in polymeric materials. This framework is applied to measure the fraction of primary loop junctions in trifunctional PEG-based hydrogels. Experiment results are compared to both the rate theory and Monte Carlo simulation

2. “Crossover Experiments Applied to Network Formation Reactions: Improved Strategies for Counting Elastically Inactive Molecular Defects in PEG Gels and Hyperbranched Polymers”
H. Zhou, E. M. Schon, M. Wang, M. J. Glassman, J. Liu, M. Zhong, D. D. Diaz, B. D. Olsen, and J. A. Johnson, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2014, 136, 9464-9470.

Isotopic labeling disassembly spectrometry
A paradigm called “isotopic labeling disassembly spectrometry” (ILDaS) is introduced that facilitates unprecedented precise experimental correlations between elastically inactive network defects (dangling chains and primary loops) and network formation kinetics and precursor structure.

3. “Loops versus Branch Functionality in Model Click Hydrogels”
K. Kawamoto, M. Zhong, R. Wang, B. D. Olsen, and J. A. Johnson, Macromolecules 2015, 48, 8980-8988.

"Universal Cyclic Topology in Polymer Networks"
Strategies are developed for counting primary loops in tetrafunctional (A2 + B4) networks and networks with mixed tri- and tetrafunctional (A2 + B3/B4) junctions for a series of endlinked poly(ethylene glycol) hydrogels. The results show that A2 + B4 networks are particularly susceptible to cyclic defects compared to A2 + B3 networks and that higher-order cyclic species must play a significant role in the gel point of the former materials. Experimental results were compared to rate theory and Monte Carlo simulations.

4. “Universal Cyclic Topology in Polymer Networks”
R. Wang, A. Alexander-Katz, J. A. Johnson and B. D. Olsen, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett.