A (Macro)Molecular-Level Understanding of Polymer Network Topology

Topology plays a critical role in dictating the properties of many materials. In recent years, with advances in synthetic and characterization techniques, substantial efforts have been made to decipher the topology of networks of interconnected molecules, i.e., polymer networks. Here, we discuss classical challenges in the field and review existing strategies to characterize and manipulate polymer network topology from a (macro)molecular level. Several given examples demonstrate how these developments prompted us to revisit structure–property relationships in polymer networks and enabled the preparation of novel functional materials. Finally, we critically examine limitations in current approaches and discuss future perspectives of the field.