Deuteration and Polymers: Rich History with Great Potential

Lengwan Li, Jacek Jakowski, Changwoo Do, Kunlun Hong

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

48 Scopus citations

Abstract

Deuterium, a stable hydrogen isotope, has been playing important roles in many scientific areas, including polymer science. The developments of deuteration science and polymer science have been interwoven for the past 60 years. The unique characteristics of the scattering lengths for hydrogen isotopes (protium and deuterium) result in the dramatic differences of scattering length densities for protiated and deuterated compounds omnipresent in polymers, rendering neutron scattering a powerful tool for the investigation of polymeric structures and dynamics that are inaccessible to other tools. While the role of deuteration in neutron scattering of polymeric materials can hardly be overstated, it has also enabled the addressing of many questions using other approaches, such as NMR and vibrational spectra. In this Perspective, we provide a brief account of deuterium in the synthesis, properties, and application of various polymers. We also offer an outlook of the potentials in this ever-evolving and exciting area.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3555-3584
Number of pages30
JournalMacromolecules
Volume54
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 27 2021

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