A Pandora's Box of New Materials—Metallopolymers

Over the past 80 years the field of polymer and materials science has evolved dramatically. Cutting edge applications of synthetic polymers have moved on from tires and plastic bags to materials with uses in electronics and biomedicine. Compositions have changed from random to precise with the advent of easily implemented controlled polymerization methods. With the introduction of metal centers, a Pandora's Box of fascinating new materials with potentially useful properties has been opened. For example, as a result of the natural variation in metal–ligand bonding interactions, these materials can exhibit either “static” or “dynamic” behavior. Each can give rise to desirable characteristics that influence ultimate utility. Furthermore, different metal ions possess their own unique properties that are difficult or impossible to obtain from the traditional polymer world. Thus, magnetic, luminescent, and photovoltaic materials, improved batteries, tunable photonic crystals, supramolecular motors, memory storage devices, and synthetic metalloenzymes are all realistic goals for current and future research on metallopolymers. After two successful issues dedicated to metallopolymers in 2010 and 2012, this topical issue contains recent contributions from researchers in the USA, Canada, Germany, Belgium, Japan, China, India, and Spain. Included herein are papers that address various fields: self-healing metallopolymers, conjugated organometallic Pt–Ir polymers, thermoresponsive polymers, self-assembly of iron carbonyl amphiphiles and diblock copolymers, incorporation of novel electropolymerizable moieties, synthesis of metal carbonyl organometallic macromolecules, preparation of colloidal preceramic materials, Archimedean nanolattices, phosphorescent Ir(III) complexes, self-assembly of a dendritic reactor, synthesis of a heterometallic polymer, synthesis of coordination polymers, preparation of photoluminescent π-conjugated polymers, triazole-pyridine-containing polymers, platinum diketonate-containing polymers, the fabrication of functional nanofibers, and boron-containing block copolymers for tumor imaging. Utilitarian properties of the investigated polymers include organic batteries, oxygen-resistant phosphorescence, photocatalysis, molecular self-assembly, unimolecular micellar encapsulation, heparin sensing and cellular imaging, and other fascinating topics. Hopefully the journal readership will be sparked to take up the fundamental and applied challenges related to these topics. Enjoy reading this issue!