Inspired by Shanghai Tower Researchers Unveil Innovative Synthetic Dynamic Helical Polymer

A team of scientists, under the direction of Qi Zhang at the University of Groningen, have made a major breakthrough in material science. Through strategy and design, they triumphantly developed and created a new totally-dynamic-helical polymer. This pioneering endeavor was inspired by the spiral form and architecture of the globally renowned Shanghai Tower. In just…

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Inspired by Shanghai Tower Researchers Unveil Innovative Synthetic Dynamic Helical Polymer

A team of scientists, under the direction of Qi Zhang at the University of Groningen, have made a major breakthrough in material science. Through strategy and design, they triumphantly developed and created a new totally-dynamic-helical polymer. This pioneering endeavor was inspired by the spiral form and architecture of the globally renowned Shanghai Tower. In just five years’ time, through the joint efforts of six institutes from three countries, it came to life.

Renowned professor Ben Feringa drew the first design of the molecule on a napkin, thereby launching the journey. This unexpected spark of creativity stemmed from his visit to the Shanghai Tower. The tower’s distinctive spiraled form opened up a conversation between Zhang and Feringa about the unexplored uses of helical structures. This happy coincidence opened the door to a new way of thinking about designing polymers.

The Design and Development Process

Their newly synthesized dynamic helical polymer involves a combination of amino acids and disulfides. It highlights exceptional nature of such properties as conformational adaptivity and configurational recyclability. This polymer’s unique ability to actively switch between different shapes and configurations opens new doors of versatility and innovation to its future applications.

Over the last five years, their research team has been focused on perfecting their design. Most importantly, they figured out how to turn what started as Professor Feringa’s napkin sketch into a real working polymer. Zhang took the time to express their heartfelt gratitude for the collective effort. He underscored that this accomplishment was possible particularly thanks to the contributions coming from every institute and scientist who were part of the project.

The high level of collaboration across institutions and national borders reflects a growing international collaboration that is fueling worldwide progress in material science. These and similar cooperative projects address the importance of cross-institutional sharing of knowledge and resources in scientific research.

Implications for Future Research

Researchers are excited about this powerful, dynamic helical polymer because of its great potential for a variety of applications—including biomaterials. The adaptable nature of the polymer could lead to innovations in medical devices, drug delivery systems, and other biotechnological fields.

There’s still much learn to be learned,” Zhang said. This surprisingly humble statement speaks to the team’s understanding of the immense possibilities that are still locked inside their magnum opus. They are deeply exploring the polymer’s properties and potential uses. Their aim is to catalyze new opportunities that could provide tremendous positive impact across a wide range of industries.

Those results were published in the highly regarded journal Nature Chemistry. This publication is a powerful endorsement by the scientific community of the significance of this work. The full publication can be found at nature.com with DOI 10.1038/s41557-025-01947-0.

A New Era in Polymer Science

In this respect, the synthesis of this dynamic, asymmetric and active helical polymer marks an impressive advance in the field of polymer chemistry. Zhang and his colleagues took a cue from structural engineering feats such as the Shanghai Tower. Together, their work serves as a testament to how interdisciplinary collaboration can lead to exciting solutions to intractable challenges.

Now, researchers are taking this new material through its paces. If successful, their efforts would transform their industries in dramatic ways that can meet critical demands in society. This union of architectural vision and scientific exploration is a perfect example of how innovation can pave the way for advancement in technology and materials science.