{
  "abstract": "Since Staudinger's demonstration of the macromolecular concept a century ago, polymer science has been built upon the fundamental concept of chain configuration and conformation, which primarily determine polymer properties at both molecular and macroscopic levels. However, direct atomic-level visualization of individual polymer chains has remained a challenge, leaving the fundamental question of how local chain configuration/conformation are involved in the preferred overall chain morphology experimentally unexplored. Here, we present a novel approach combining atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, molecular mechanics simulation, and a genetic algorithm to determine the atomic-level structures of single polymer chains. This hybrid experimental-computational method successfully visualizes both the local stereochemical configuration, i.e., tacticity, and backbone conformations (dihedral angles) of a single chain adsorbed on a substrate at the atomic level. Significantly, we demonstrate experimentally that chain shapes result from a balance between intrinsic local conformational energy, influenced by local tacticity, and extrinsic environmental factors, including substrate adsorption energy and surface geometric constraints. Our approach extends fundamental experimental insights into single-chain physics, enabling the rational design of polymeric materials with more precisely controlled molecular architectures.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, 980-8577",
    "Institute for Green Goals Initiative, Tohoku University, 6-6 Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, 980-8579",
    "School of Advanced Engineering, Kogakuin University, 2665-1 Nakano, Hachioji, Tokyo, Japan, 192-0015",
    "Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, 6-6 Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, 980-8579",
    "Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, Institute of Science Tokyo, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, Japan, 152-8522"
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Tomohiro Miyata",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-7352-9640"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Yoshiaki Kawagoe"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Raita Goseki"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        3
      ],
      "name": "Tomonaga Okabe"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4
      ],
      "name": "Takashi Ishizone"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Hiroshi Jinnai"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9f2d10f2wctta.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.26434/chemrxiv.15010527/v1",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "9f2d10f2wctta",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15010527/v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1315|Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7222304942",
  "pdf_url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/pdf/10.26434/chemrxiv.15010527/v1",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-15",
  "publisher": "American Chemical Society (ACS)",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9f2d10f2wctta.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:24Z",
      "native_id": "10.26434/chemrxiv.15010527",
      "source": "chemrxiv",
      "url": "https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15010527/v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biochemistry",
      "origin": "openalex:1315|Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications",
      "subfield": "structural-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Atomic-level visualization of local tacticity and steric structures of polymer chains",
  "title_text": "Atomic-level visualization of local tacticity and steric structures of polymer chains",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:24Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9f2d10f2wctta",
  "venue": "ChemRxiv",
  "versions": []
}