Crystal engineering of multicomponent solids involving both small and polymeric molecules resulted in the preparation of cocrystals with melting points higher than the melting point of the pure polymer. At the same time, the high mechanical flexibility of the polymer is maintained even under harsh milling conditions, allowing the formation of toroidal nanoparticles with small inner radii and high curvatures.
Abstract
Crystal engineering has exclusively focused on the development of advanced materials based on small organic molecules. We now demonstrate how the cocrystallization of a polymer yields a material with significantly enhanced thermal stability but equivalent mechanical flexibility. Isomorphous replacement of one of the cocrystal components enables the formation of solid solutions with melting points that can be readily fine-tuned over a usefully wide temperature range. The results of this study credibly extend the scope of crystal engineering and cocrystallization from small molecules to polymers.
