Beyond Water: The Solvent–Porogen Bottleneck in Natural-Product-Derived Cryopolymerization
- 1Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
Abstract
Cryopolymerization creates interconnected macroporous networks by polymerizing a concentrated unfrozen phase while solvent crystals act as a transient porogen. Water is effective because ice crystallization templates the pores and concentrates reactive species, but this mechanism also imposes a solubility filter on monomer selection. This limitation matters for natural-product-derived materials: phenolics, terpenes, lignin-derived aromatics, and other bio-based scaffolds can be functionalized with polymerizable groups, yet many derivatives remain poorly soluble in water. Extending cryopolymerization beyond pure water is therefore a materials-design challenge, not simple solvent substitution. Candidate media may be neat solvents or mixtures, including aqueous–organic blends; each must dissolve the formulation and generate a crystalline phase at a temperature and timescale compatible with polymerization. A water/DMSO study shows that composition can shift a formulation from cryogelation to nonporous or phase-separated networks. We define this coupled solvation–crystallization constraint as the solvent–porogen bottleneck and outline a screening workflow based on phase behavior, polymerization kinetics, pore architecture, and solvent removal. Mapping this window could broaden the range of natural-product-derived monomers accessible to cryogels without assuming that one solvent will suit every chemistry or application.
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BibTeX
@article{zagni2026beyond,
title = {{Beyond Water: The Solvent–Porogen Bottleneck in Natural-Product-Derived Cryopolymerization}},
author = {Chiara Zagni},
journal = {Biomolecules},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.3390/biom16111599},
url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/16/11/1599},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Beyond Water: The Solvent–Porogen Bottleneck in Natural-Product-Derived Cryopolymerization
AU - Chiara Zagni
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/03
JO - Biomolecules
DO - 10.3390/biom16111599
UR - https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/16/11/1599
AB - Cryopolymerization creates interconnected macroporous networks by polymerizing a concentrated unfrozen phase while solvent crystals act as a transient porogen. Water is effective because ice crystallization templates the pores and concentrates reactive species, but this mechanism also imposes a solubility filter on monomer selection. This limitation matters for natural-product-derived materials: phenolics, terpenes, lignin-derived aromatics, and other bio-based scaffolds can be functionalized with polymerizable groups, yet many derivatives remain poorly soluble in water. Extending cryopolymerization beyond pure water is therefore a materials-design challenge, not simple solvent substitution. Candidate media may be neat solvents or mixtures, including aqueous–organic blends; each must dissolve the formulation and generate a crystalline phase at a temperature and timescale compatible with polymerization. A water/DMSO study shows that composition can shift a formulation from cryogelation to nonporous or phase-separated networks. We define this coupled solvation–crystallization constraint as the solvent–porogen bottleneck and outline a screening workflow based on phase behavior, polymerization kinetics, pore architecture, and solvent removal. Mapping this window could broaden the range of natural-product-derived monomers accessible to cryogels without assuming that one solvent will suit every chemistry or application.
SN - 2218-273X
ER -