Stanley Roy Johns

22: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance in Polymer Studies (1980)

Introduction

22: nuclear magnetic resonance in polymer studies (1980). Discover how 13C NMR spectroscopy extensively studies synthetic & biological polymers, revealing structural, dynamic properties, end groups, and tacticity.

Abstract

The Liversidge Research Lecture, delivered before the Royal Society of New South Wales, 19th June., 1980. Reproduced by permission of the Royal Society of New South Wales from J. Proc. Roy. Soc. N.S.W., 1980, 113, 69-80."13C nmr spectroscopy is now extensively used in both synthetic and biological polymer studies. Structural and dynamic properties of a polymer can be determined from the 13C nmr chemical shift and relaxation time parameters. Examples from both the synthetic and biological fields are presented together with descriptions of new techniques for the analysis of end groups and the determination of tacticity in synthetic polymers."

Review

This paper, presented as the Liversidge Research Lecture before the Royal Society of New South Wales in 1980, offers a concise yet comprehensive overview of the rapidly expanding application of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) in polymer science, with a particular emphasis on ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. At the time of its delivery, ¹³C NMR was emerging as an indispensable tool, and this lecture served to synthesize its utility across both synthetic and biological polymer systems. The abstract clearly establishes the paper's role in documenting this significant methodological shift in polymer characterization. The core of the work, as outlined, revolves around the ability of ¹³C NMR to elucidate critical structural and dynamic properties of polymers. By analyzing chemical shift and relaxation time parameters, researchers could gain unprecedented insights into polymer architecture, chain dynamics, and molecular environments. Furthermore, the lecture promised to showcase specific, cutting-edge techniques for addressing common analytical challenges, such as the precise determination of end groups and the quantification of tacticity in synthetic polymers, thereby demonstrating practical advancements beyond fundamental principles. Overall, this publication would have been an invaluable resource for the scientific community in 1980. Its origin as a research lecture implies a pedagogical intent, making complex spectroscopic techniques accessible to a wider audience while still presenting detailed examples and novel methodologies. It effectively captures the state-of-the-art in ¹³C NMR applications for polymer studies at that juncture, serving as both a foundational reference and a guide to advanced analytical approaches for researchers engaged in materials science, organic chemistry, and biopolymer investigations.

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