Installing non-covalent interactions on between polymer strands yields macromolecular materials with unusual mechanical properties. We are particularly interested in installing supramolecular interactions in polyolefin-type materials. This has led to us developing electrochemical post-synthetic modification approaches and acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization strategies that can yield polyolefins with high molecular weights, defined sequences, and many functional groups. We are also interested in understanding how non-covalent interactions can influence macromolecular topology and physical entanglements, both of which strongly impact thermorheological characteristics in polymer systems. This work is funded by the Army Research Office and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

Key Papers on Macromolecular Electrolysis

Selective Electrochemical Modification and Degradation of Polymers, Hughes et al., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2024, 63, e202403026

Electrochemical Postpolymerization Modification and Deconstruction of Macromolecules, Marquez et al. ACS Macro Lett. 2024, 13, 10, 1345-1354

Key Papers on Acyclic Diene Metathesis Chemistry

Increasingly threaded polypseudorotaxanes with reduced enthalpies of melting, Sun et al., Poly. Chem. 2024, Accepted