Metallo-polyelectrolytes as a class of ionic macromolecules for functional materials

Abstract

The fields of soft polymers and macromolecular sciences have enjoyed a unique combination of metals and organic frameworks in the name of metallopolymers or organometallic polymers. When metallopolymers carry charged groups, they form a class of metal-containing polyelectrolytes or metallo-polyelectrolytes. This review identifies the unique properties and functions of metallo-polyelectrolytes compared with conventional organo-polyelectrolytes, in the hope of shedding light on the formation of functional materials with intriguing applications and potential benefits. It concludes with a critical perspective on the challenges and hurdles for metallo-polyelectrolytes, especially experimental quantitative analysis and theoretical modeling of ionic binding.

Recent advances in metallopolymer-based drug delivery systems

“…Their properties can be adjusted by changing the interaction strength of metal centers with the polymer backbone. [44][45][46][47][48] MPs are highly interesting materials with properties combining the technological advantages of polymers with the functionality of metal centers, therefore, these compounds have outstanding potential for use in a broad range of advanced sustainable applications including functional materials, [49][50][51][52][53][54][55] catalysis and biocatalysis, [56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63] electroactive, 64 photoactive, [65][66][67][68][69][70] conducting 71 and magnetic 45 materials, as well as environment 72 and nanomaterials science. [73][74][75][76][77][78][79][80] MPs have been known for a long time but have recently become the subject of large development.…”

Functional materials in desalination: A review

“…Functional materials are known to be applicable in a variety of applications including energy storage devices [15], as sensors [16], as actuators [17] in water treatment [18] and in many novel electronic devices [19] for medicine, biotechnology, avionics and defense applications. Recent and old review papers have been material oriented, focusing on specific types of functional materials such as cellulosic materials [20,21], phenolics [22], graphene oxide (GO) [23], metallo-polyelectrolytes [24], carbon-based materials [25,26] and several others [27][28][29][30]. Other review papers have been more application-oriented focusing on a specific application of several functional materials including cancer therapy [31], 3D printing of devices [31], pharmaceuticals [28], photodetectors [32], wastewater treatment [33], catalysis [34] and others [35,36].…”

Generalizing metallocene mechanochemistry to ruthenocene mechanophores

“…For example, ferrocene has been commonly regarded as a stable "covalent" compound based on its high bond dissociation energy (BDE). [22][23][24][25] One might therefore expect ferrocene to hold little promise as a mechanophore. Very recently, however, Fromm and Weder and we independently reported that ferrocene mechanophores embedded in polymer backbones can be mechanically activated under sonication.…”