Asymmetric copolymers are a class of materials with intriguing properties. They can be defined by a distribution of monomers within the polymer chain that is neither strictly segregated, as in the case of block copolymers, nor evenly distributed throughout each chain, as in the case of statistical copolymers. This definition includes gradient copolymers as well as block copolymers that contain segments of statistical copolymer. In this review, different methods to synthesize asymmetric copolymers are first discussed. The properties of asymmetric copolymers are investigated in comparison to those of block and random counterparts of similar composition. Finally, some examples of applications of asymmetric copolymers, both academic and industrial, are demonstrated. The aim of this review is to provide a perspective on the design and synthesis of asymmetric copolymers with useful applications.

中文翻译：

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不对称共聚物：梯度和其他部分隔离的共聚物的合成，性质和应用

不对称共聚物是一类具有吸引人的性能的材料。它们可以通过单体链在聚合物链中的分布来定义，该分布既不像嵌段共聚物那样严格地分离，也不像统计共聚物那样均匀地分布在每个链中。该定义包括梯度共聚物以及包含统计共聚物链段的嵌段共聚物。在这篇综述中，首先讨论了合成不对称共聚物的不同方法。与类似组成的嵌段和无规对应物相比，研究了不对称共聚物的性质。最后，展示了不对称共聚物在学术和工业上的一些应用实例。