The Properties of Dendritic Polymers I: Generation 5 Poly(amidoamine) Dendrimers

Dendritic polymers, or dendrimers, represent a new class of macromolecules characterized by an ultra-branched molecular architecture generated by a novel synthetic route developed in the mid-1980s. As the synthetic science of these molecules matures, the search for ways to apply them is becoming increasingly active. However, a lack of physical property data has made the identification of suitable application and technology areas that are ripe for exploitation of dendrimers difficult. The purpose of this series of reports is to compile, in the most concise form possible, some fundamental physical property information about dendrimers. The focus is on the behavior of polyamidoamine or PAMAM dendrimers, which are produced domestically by Dendritech, Inc., of Midland, Michigan. In this first report, the properties of mid-size, Generation 5, PAMAM dendrimers are highlighted. The second and third reports will focus on the generation or size dependence of the physical properties of PAMAM dendrimers and on the end-group chemistry dependence of PAMAM dendrimers, respectively.