NMR Studies of Higher-order Structures of Solid Polymers

Abstract

This chapter discusses the most recent high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of solid polymers, including synthetic and natural polymers, with emphasis on revealing the higher-order structures. It provides a new dimension to the polymer structures, and in addition is concerned with engineering plastics, high-performance polymers, liquid crystalline polymers, polymer alloys, and natural polymers. It is clear that the solid-state high resolution NMR is an indispensable technique for the routine analysis as well as for the study of the structures and dynamics of the polymers in bulk. Engineering plastics and high-performance polymers are the most popular polymers in polymer materials. Their physical properties and functions are closely related to the structure and dynamics in the solid-state. From such a situation, solid-state high-resolution NMR spectroscopy has provided the potential perspective of becoming a powerful means of determining the higher-order structure and dynamics of the polymers in the solid state, associated with the physical properties and functions. The physical blending of two or more polymers provides new polymer materials with suitable physical properties. Such polymer blends are often referred to as “polymer alloys.”. Solid-state NMR is a powerful tool for the determination of protein structure and the advantages of this method are described in this chapter.