Abstract

Bottlebrush networks (BBNs) are polymer networks built from strands with densely grafted side chains, giving them distinctive physical properties that arise from their unique molecular architecture. This primer introduces the chemistry and physics of BBNs for both newcomers and current researchers in the field, including a workflow and accompanying desktop application (LengthScale) intended to make bottlebrush physics more approachable. We argue that continued progress in this area will require an interdisciplinary approach, and we close by highlighting several open questions intended to stimulate further discussion in the community.