Catching up with OMNISEC! Part 3
I started out 2020 and 2021 with collections of publications showcasing the powerful multi-detector GPC/SEC system OMNISEC. While our lives still aren’t quite back to normal, OMNISEC continues to do its part to contribute to the global scientific community. Therefore, as we cautiously and safely turn to 2022 it’s time for Part 3 of Catching up with OMNISEC!
Last year, the publications to which I called attention came from bio-related fields of study. However, four of the five examples this year relate to synthetic materials with impressive applications. And while the fifth publication mentioned here doesn’t fit the new theme, it was too topical to pass up. Then again, each of the papers listed below comes from a different country, highlighting the global appeal of OMNISEC. Read on to learn more!
Depolymerizable polyurethanes
Brad H. Jones et al. at Sandia National Laboratories have designed polyols bearing unsaturated units prone to undergo ring-closing metathesis. When the researchers co-polymerized the polyols with multi-functional isocyanates, they could then depolymerize the resulting crosslinked polyurethanes through exposure to Grubbs’ catalyst. Data from OMNISEC confirmed the reduced molecular weight of the depolymerized polyurethanes. Cool stuff!
Tunable ionic liquids with dielectric properties
Jukka Niskanen et al. in the group of Prof. Benoît Lessard at the University of Ottawa used click chemistry to generate polymeric ionic liquids that displayed dielectric properties. Subsequently adjusting the counterion and alkynyl substituent, the researchers created materials with differing glass transition temperatures and capacitance density. Material characterization included molecular weight moments and dispersity from OMNISEC.
Inverse thermogelation of ABA type amphiphile
Researchers under the guidance of Robert Luxenhofer at the University of Helsinki have produced two novel ABA block copolymers. Although the two materials only differ by a methylene unit in the B block monomer, one undergoes rapid inverse thermogelation while the other does not. Specifically, that means increasing temperature causes one sample to gel if present above 20 wt.%. Conventional calibration data from OMNISEC was instrumental in characterizing the newly developed polymers.
Star/linear PLA blends
A team led by Athanassia Athanassiou at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia blended star and linear PLA to improve processability. With this intention, the star PLA had a low molecular weight which reduced entanglement and proved to be a green (renewable) plasticizer. Consequently, the star/linear PLA blends offered flexible and transparent materials without affecting the original structural strength. Data from OMNISEC characterized the raw and blended samples at each processing step.
COVID-19 research
Marc Lavigne et al. from the Institut Pasteur report that a SARS-CoV-2 protein (Nsp3) contains a SARS-Unique Domain (SUD) which can bind Guanine-rich structures and is essential for coronavirus replication. Binding can be affected by mutations or specific ligands of the Guanine-rich structures. Molecular weight and intrinsic viscosity data from OMNISEC allowed the researchers to study the oligomeric state of the SUD proteins. Hopefully, this work leads to new antiviral compounds that can suppress coronavirus replication!
Final thoughts
In conclusion, this marks the third year in a row of Catching up with OMNISEC. To put it another way, that’s an annual tradition! Furthermore, if you are an OMNISEC user and wish to have your publication included in a future Catching up with OMNISEC post, please contact me at kyle.williams@malvernpanalytical.com.