title: Synthesis of Cyclic Polymers and Characterization of Their Diffusive Motion in the Melt State at the Single Molecule Level.
abstract: We demonstrate a method for the synthesis of cyclic polymers and a protocol for characterizing their diffusive motion in a melt state at the single molecule level. An electrostatic self-assembly and covalent fixation (ESA-CF) process is used for the synthesis of the cyclic poly(tetrahydrofuran) (poly(THF)). The diffusive motion of individual cyclic polymer chains in a melt state is visualized using single molecule fluorescence imaging by incorporating a fluorophore unit in the cyclic chains. The diffusive motion of the chains is quantitatively characterized by means of a combination of mean-squared displacement (MSD) analysis and a cumulative distribution function (CDF) analysis. The cyclic polymer exhibits multiple-mode diffusion which is distinct from its linear counterpart. The results demonstrate that the diffusional heterogeneity of polymers that is often hidden behind ensemble averaging can be revealed by the efficient synthesis of the cyclic polymers using the ESA-CF process and the quantitative analysis of the diffusive motion at the single molecule level using the MSD and CDF analyses.
authors: Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST); Satoshi.Habuchi@kaust.edu.sa.
authors: Satoshi
authors: S
authors: Habuchi
authors: Division of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University; Department of Organic and Polymeric Materials, Tokyo Institute of Technology.
authors: Takuya
authors: T
authors: Yamamoto
authors: Department of Organic and Polymeric Materials, Tokyo Institute of Technology; ytezuka@o.cc.titech.ac.jp.
authors: Yasuyuki
authors: Y
authors: Tezuka
mesh_terms: D004058:Diffusion; D005615:Freezing; D009038:Motion; D011108:Polymers; D055672:Static Electricity; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers