Nanotetrapods Promote Polymer Flow Through Confinement-Induced Packing Frustration
Published in Nature Communications, vol. 16, article 8550, 2025
Recommended citation: S.M.B Gautham, J. Sarkar, and T. K. Patra (2025). "Nanotetrapods promote polymer flow through confinement induced packing frustration." Nature Communications, 16, 8550. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-63555-3
Mixing tetrapod-shaped nanoparticles into a polymer melt can make it flow more easily: the inner curvature of nanotetrapods imposes strong physical confinement on nearby chains, creating a packing frustration that increases polymer mobility and lowers viscosity — in contrast to compact particles like spheres or rods, which tend to thicken the melt.
Recommended citation: S.M.B Gautham, J. Sarkar, and T. K. Patra (2025) “Nanotetrapods promote polymer flow through confinement induced packing frustration” Nature Communications, 16, 8550.