A new “protopolymer” chemical state has been observed by Penn State researchers in chains of phenylene molecules on a crystalline copper surface at low temperature.

Protopolymers form when monomers align and interact without forming chemical bonds.

The existence of this bonding state could potentially have significant implications for supramolecular design. These intermolecular interactions could be used to place compounds together like a jigsaw puzzle into complex structures based on the choice of assembly units and substrate surfaces–one more step toward the molecular design and engineering of new nanostructured materials.

Penn State news release