Interpenetration of 0D Nets (polycatenanes)

The nomenclature of interpenetration can be extended further, to the description of infinite networks of catenanes. These systems involve infinite entanglements of molecular (0D) units. We can thus have overall 1D, 2D or 3D networks from the catenation of 0D nets. Some illustrations of these types of entanglement are shown below. Note that a molecular catenane can thus be described as 0D → 0D interpenetration, and a rotaxane is not in fact interpenetrating at all.

0D → 1D interpenetration
0D → 2D interpenetration
0D → 3D interpenetration

A number of polymeric networks have been also reported in which the network links are provided by the "axle" component of rotaxanes. These would represent interpenetration between 0D (the rotaxane "wheel") and pD (the polymeric nets) motifs, giving 0D/1D, 0D/2D or 0D/3D interpenetration.

Furthermore, note that, using our definition and notation of interpenetration, a molecular catenane can thus be described as 0D → 0D interpenetration, and a rotaxane is not in fact interpenetrating at all.