App-Free Method for Visualization of Polymers in 3D and Augmented Reality

The rise of virtual and online education in recent years
has led
to the development and popularization of many online tools, notably
three-dimensional (3D) models and augmented reality (AR), for visualizing
various structures in chemical sciences. The majority of the developed
tools focus on either small molecules or biological systems, as information
regarding their structure can be easily accessed from online databases
or obtained through relatively quick calculations. As such, due to
a lack of crystallographic and theoretical data available for nonbiological
macromolecules, there is a noticeable lack of accessible online tools
for the visualization of polymers in 3D. Herein, using a few sample
polymers, we showcase a workflow for the generation of 3D models using
molecular dynamics and Blender. The 3D structures can then be hosted
on p3d.in, where AR models can be generated automatically. Furthermore,
the hosted 3D models can then be shared via quick response (QR) codes
and used in various settings without the need to download any applications.