Functional Soft Materials from Metallo- and Metallosupramolecular Polymers
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Whittell, George R.; Hager, Martin D.; Schubert, Ulrich S.; Manners, Ian
- Abstract:
- Synthetic polymers containing metal centres are emerging as an interesting and broad class of easily processable materials
with properties and functions that complement those of state-of-the-art organic macromolecular materials. A diverse range
of different metal centres can be harnessed to tune macromolecular properties, from transition- and main-group metals to
lanthanides. Moreover, the linkages that bind the metal centres can vary almost continuously from strong, essentially covalent
bonds that lead to irreversible or ‘static’ binding of the metal to weak and labile, non-covalent coordination interactions that
allow for reversible, ‘dynamic’ or ‘metallosupramolecular’, binding. Here we review recent advances and challenges in the
field and illustrate developments towards applications as emissive and photovoltaic materials; as optical limiters; in nanoelectronics,
information storage, nanopatterning and sensing; as macromolecular catalysts and artificial enzymes; and as
stimuli-responsive materials. We focus on materials in which the metal centres provide function; although they can also play a
structural role, systems where this is solely their purpose have not been discussed.
- Year:
- 2011
- Type of Publication:
- Article
- Journal:
- Nature Materials
- Volume:
- 10
- Pages:
- 176 - 188