Summary
Macromolecular and materials chemistry explores the synthesis, architecture and function of large molecular assemblies and composite systems. By controlling monomer composition, polymerisation pathways and network connectivity, researchers tailor molecular weight, crystallinity, cross-link density and nanoscale morphology to achieve targeted mechanical, thermal and chemical properties. Advances in living and catalytic polymerisations, chain-extension reactions and templated self-assembly have enabled the fabrication of hierarchically porous frameworks, liquid-crystalline fibres and elastomeric networks. Integration of functional fillers, supramolecular cross-links and additive-manufacturing techniques further expands capabilities, delivering lightweight composites, stimuli-responsive hydrogels and bioinspired scaffolds. These developments underpin applications spanning flexible electronics, energy storage, regenerative medicine and sustainable packaging, exemplifying how molecular-level design translates into advanced materials with global impact.
Research from Nature Portfolio
High-internal-phase emulsion templating has been used to produce polyester scaffolds with over 85 % porosity and pore interconnectivity optimised for cartilage repair. Human chondrocytes infiltrated deeply and formed neocartilage exhibiting a favourable collagen II/I ratio and mechanical performance analogous to native tissue, demonstrating translational promise. In another study, melt-polymerised thermotropic liquid crystalline copolyester fibres were spun and annealed to yield a nanofibrillar skin (60–110 nm) under nematic mesophase conditions. Precise control of heat-treatment developed highly aligned fibre morphology and enhanced thermo-mechanical properties, illustrating the power of liquid crystalline ordering in high-performance polymer fibres.
Topic trend for the past 5 years
The graph below shows the article count in Nature Index journals for macromolecular and materials chemistry.
* The ‘Current Index’ represents data for a 12-month rolling window, the current window is 1 May 2025 - 30 April 2026.
Technical terms
High internal phase emulsion (HIPE): A concentrated emulsion whose dispersed phase exceeds 74 % volume, used as a template for highly porous polymer networks.
Thermotropic liquid crystalline polymer (TLCP): A polymer that forms ordered liquid crystalline mesophases upon heating between its melting and clearing temperatures, enabling alignment during fibre spinning.
Traceless chain extender: A bifunctional reagent that links polymer chain ends to rebuild molecular weight, leaving no residual functionality after reaction.
Porosity: The fraction of void volume within a material, expressed as a percentage, governing permeability and surface area.
Hierarchical porosity: A multiscale pore architecture combining micro-, meso- and macropores to balance mass transport, mechanical strength and surface area.
Notable articles in macromolecular and materials chemistry
- Reductive pathways in molten inorganic salts enable colloidal synthesis of III-V semiconductor nanocrystals. Science (2024).
- Activating efficient phosphorescence from purely organic materials by crystal design. Nature Chemistry (2011).
- Photooxidation and quantum confinement effects in exfoliated black phosphorus. Nature Materials (2015).
- An Inorganic Hole Conductor for Organo-Lead Halide Perovskite Solar Cells. Improved Hole Conductivity with Copper Iodide. Journal of the American Chemical Society (2013).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Research
Position of Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry in Nature Index by Count
Leading institutions
| Institution | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) | 856 | 258.16 |
| Jilin University (JLU) | 176 | 100.52 |
| University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) | 305 | 100.03 |
| Sichuan University (SCU) | 113 | 76.67 |
| Tsinghua University | 206 | 76.48 |
| University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) | 282 | 64.44 |
| Nanjing University (NJU) | 157 | 64.25 |
| Fudan University | 131 | 61.67 |
| South China University of Technology (SCUT) | 122 | 57.9 |
| Peking University (PKU) | 245 | 56.39 |
Collaboration
Top 5 leading collaborators in Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry
Collaborating institutions
Note: Hover over the bars to view details about each institution's Share.
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