Template Polymerization

Book excerpt: "Template polymerization is a new field in polymer synthesis but common practice in the biosynthesis since DNA is the most popular template or matrix on which proteins are built by living species. This field is relevant to the synthesis of polymers of controlled structure but its application goes beyond the synthesis. Materials are formulated in complex mixtures always containing components which can be regarded as templates on which other materials are formed, modified, or are interacted with. In the new product development the relevance of these phenomena is controlled by the order of addition which affects probabilities and preferences of interaction. The current publication outlines mechanisms of template polymerization, polycondensation, and copolymerization. These mechanisms, illustrated with numerous examples, indicate a range of possibilities which can be encountered in materials and utilized to modify their properties. Orientation of substrates on template and their effect on modification of their reactivity and properties such as, for example, absorption of light or water are also discussed. Several chapters contain information on these studies discussed with sufficient detail to give reader comprehensive understanding of the methods used in various research laboratories and their findings."--Publisher's description.