Yin Rao

Abstract Precise control over the presence and position of knots in polymers remains a long-standing synthetic challenge, with theory indicating broad implications for properties and function. Here we report on a topological synthon approach—extension and macrocyclization of an overhand knot—that enables the high yielding synthesis of closed-loop trefoiled polymers with narrow polydispersity and tunable topological parameters.

A Highly-Connected Metal–Organic Framework with Stretched Inorganic Units for Propylene/Ethylene Separation Separating propylene from ethylene in the mixture derived from the product of the methanol-to-olefins process in an energy-efficient way presents a significant challenge, and adsorptive separation utilizing porous materials such as metal−organic frameworks (MOFs) provide a potential solution.

Abstract Framework structures such as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) can facilitate proton conduction through various proton-carrying sites within the pores or along the backbones, demonstrating their viability as proton-conducting materials for fuel cells. However, the lack of inherent proton-carrying sites on typical MOF backbones and the architectural instability of HOFs pose a challenge for further applications.