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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Commodity Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #271742
Title: Innovative NMR strategies for complex macromolecules

Author
item Cheng, Huai
item ASAKURA, TETSUO - Tokyo University Of Agriculture & Technology
item ENGLISH, ALAN - Dupont Central Research & Development

Submitted to: American Chemical Society Symposium Series
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/23/2011
Publication Date: 10/24/2011
Citation: Cheng, H.N., Asakura, T., English, A.D. 2011. Innovative NMR strategies for complex macromolecules. In: Cheng, H.N., Asakura, T., English, A.D., editors. NMR Spectroscopy of Polymers: Innovative Strategies for Complex Macromolecules. ACS Symposium Series 1077. Washington, DC: American Chemical Society. p. 4-16.

Interpretive Summary: NMR spectroscopy is an excellent technique to determine molecular structure, conformation, dynamics, crystallinity, and intra- and inter-molecular interactions. As biobased materials and complex macromolecular systems are increasingly being studied in recent years, many NMR strategies and methodologies are being used to characterize these complex macromolecules. For someone interested in applying NMR to investigate these materials, it would be helpful to know the major developments and the relevant literature references. The purpose of this article is to review the NMR/polymer literature in the past 4-5 years. Several recurring research themes can be discerned, prompted by improved instrumentation, more sophisticated characterization techniques, innovative synthetic methods, and application-driven polymer designs. Also included are the latest trends and developments in NMR methodologies. This review article will be the introductory chapter of an ACS book on NMR spectroscopy of polymers.

Technical Abstract: In recent years there has been an increasing research emphasis on complex macromolecular systems. These include polymers with precise control of structures, multicomponent systems with higher degrees of organization, polymers involved in micelles, interfaces, and confined environments, nanochemistry and nanostructures, biopolymers and bio-inspired chemistry, and application-driven polymer designs, such as fuel cells, batteries, and ionic conductors; sensors and information processors; drug delivery, biomedical devices, and imaging; stimulus-responsive polymers, gels, and networks with defined function and control. Successful NMR studies of these polymers require judicious applications of existing techniques and development of new or improved strategies and methodologies. In this article the polymer/NMR literature in 2007-2011 is reviewed in view of the recent trends in polymer research, with selected examples taken from the literature and from the chapters included in this book.