Determination of chemical composition distributions in synthetic polymers

Introducing an algorithm to accurately determine copolymer block-length distributions

BACKGROUND

Copolymers are attractive for developing advanced materials with widespread applications such as medical devices, implants, or self-healing coatings for space stations and satellites. Their physical properties are tunable by controlling polymeric characteristics such as molecular weight and chemical composition. Another characteristic that has a significant influence on the material properties is the block-length distribution (BLD). Synthetic chemists can alter the BLD independently from molecular weight and chemical composition. However, analytically characterizing these BLDs, for copolymers composed out of multiple monomers, remains a huge challenge.

RESULTS

In this study, an algorithm was developed that enables the accurate determination of copolymer BLDs. Copolymers were computationally simulated and fragmented by either a repeated-sampling approach or an analytical solution to obtain unbiased ground-truth data to objectively evaluate such algorithms. The performance of the novel analytical solution, coupled with an optimization algorithm, was assessed under various conditions. We have demonstrated that a trust-region-reflective algorithm yields highly accurate BLDs when fragment data up to the tetramer level is available. Although the presence of noise in the input data led to some noise in the output, it did not notably impact the overall performance of the algorithm.

SIGNIFICANCE

The proposed algorithm demonstrated significant improvements over existing algorithms for the determination of copolymer BLDs. Using accurately simulated copolymer fragment data, which can be obtained through chemical reactions or physical processes, such algorithms could objectively be evaluated on their performance for the first time. These observations indicate that the proposed algorithm holds great potential for application to experimental copolymer fragment data.

Study of the aberrant retention behavior of a semi-crystalline polyamide in reversed-phase liquid chromatography

The elution behavior of semi-crystalline polyamides (PAs) in reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) was examined. RPLC of the aliphatic polyamide 4,6 (PA46) yielded a single broad peak. However, the partly aromatic polyamide X (PAX) displayed a deviating elution profile, encompassing early- and late-eluting portions, which changed in relative abundance when varying injection and gradient conditions. These bands were suspected to be due to formation of amorphous and crystalline phases, respectively. RPLC fractions of the PAs were subjected to the same RPLC system and to size-exclusion chromatography. The presumed amorphous PAX portion showed two bands in RPLC, suggesting that (largely) amorphous and crystalline phases are formed upon sample injection. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) demonstrated that reducing the crystallinity of PAX decreased the relative abundance of the late-eluting fraction, approaching the behavior of aliphatic polyamides. X-ray diffraction and static-light-scattering analyses confirmed the semi-crystallinity of the two solid PA samples. Although both small particles and larger aggregates were observed in solution, these findings could not be correlated to the differences in elution profile of the PAs. Cloud-point measurements indicated that the solubility of both PA46 and PAX was almost independent of temperature. Strikingly, at low column temperatures (i.e. below the depressed melting point), PAX eluted as a single broad PAX peak. To conclude, the semi-crystallinity of PAX influences its RPLC-elution behavior, and by ensuring complete dissolution of the crystalline phase useful chemical information can be extracted from the obtained chromatograms.

PolyCrit: An Online Collaborative Platform for Polymer Characterization

Polymer liquid chromatography at critical conditions (LCCC) is a chromatographic separation condition achieved by carefully balancing the interaction of a polymer with stationary and mobile phases to make the elution time of a polymer in chromatography independent of its molecular weight. By removing the dependence of elution time on polymer molecular weight, the LCCC then allows separation of polymer samples on the basis of secondary differences, such as topology, branching, and end-group functionality, that are otherwise difficult to resolve. Despite its potential, LCCC remains under-employed due to the complexity of its optimization and the scattered nature of existing data. To address these challenges, we developed PolyCrit, a database that organizes 428 critical chromatography conditions (characterized by 33 parameters) into a searchable and accessible online platform. PolyCrit centralizes decades of literature, providing detailed information on polymers, solvents, stationary phases, and chromatographic parameters. It features a quality scoring system to ensure data reliability and supports contributions from the research community through a validation process. By curating experimental critical conditions, PolyCrit reduces the need for extensive literature searches to utilize the powerful chromatographic technique. Additionally, PolyCrit invites current researchers to contribute to the database by submitting their own work. It can be found at https://lccc.ywangcomp.org.

Simulation of the Chromatography of Oligomers and Polymers with HypercarbTM Column

The retention time of a polymer in liquid chromatography depends on the details of its microstructure and topology. Despite the number of separation modes and methods available for polymers, gaining quantitative information from chromatograms remains a challenge. A model able to predict the LC retention time of a polymer accounting for all possible variations in its microstructure could provide some valuable insight during method development and produce the information necessary to establish unambiguous structure/property relationships. In a previous article, we reported on the separation of end-functionalized oligomers with the Hypercarb™ column using interaction polymer chromatography. In this article, the chromatograms for the oligomer were simulated using the general model for the partition coefficient of linear polymers in adsorbing pores developed by Gorbunov and Skvortsov [1]. The chromatograms of the oligomer were simulated under a variety of conditions mimicking the experimental ones. The results confirmed the predictive strength of the model. To explain some unexpected results for high molecular weight polymers under size exclusion conditions, hydrodynamic effects were considered as well as a sorbent consisting of two pore networks. This provided new insight into the Hypercarb™ column properties.

Sample transformation in online separations: how chemical conversion advances analytical technology

While the advent of modern analytical technology has allowed scientists to determine the complexity of mixtures, it also spurred the demand to understand these sophisticated mixtures better. Chemical transformation can be used to provide insights into properties of complex samples such as degradation pathways or molecular heterogeneity that are otherwise unaccessible. In this article, we explore how sample transformation is exploited across different application fields to empower analytical methods. Transformation mechanisms include molecular-weight reduction, controlled degradation, and derivatization. Both offline and online transformation methods have been explored. The covered studies show that sample transformation facilitates faster reactions (e.g. several hours to minutes), reduces sample complexity, unlocks new sample dimensions (e.g. functional groups), provides correlations between multiple sample dimensions, and improves detectability. The article highlights the state-of-the-art and future prospects, focusing in particular on the characterization of protein and nucleic-acid therapeutics, nanoparticles, synthetic polymers, and small molecules.

Principles and potential of solvent gradient size-exclusion chromatography for polymer analysis

The properties of a polymeric material are influenced by its underlying molecular distributions, including the molecular-weight (MWD), chemical-composition (CCD), and/or block-length (BLD) distributions. Gradient-elution liquid chromatography (LC) is commonly used to determine the CCD. Due to the limited solubility of polymers, samples are often dissolved in strong solvents. Upon injection of the sample, such solvents may lead to broadened or poorly shaped peaks and, in unfavourable cases, to "breakthrough" phenomena, where a part of the sample travels through the column unretained. To remedy this, a technique called size-exclusion-chromatography gradients or gradient size-exclusion chromatography (gSEC) was developed in 2011. In this work, we aim to further explore the potential of gSEC for the analysis of the CCD, also in comparison with conventional gradient-elution reversed-phase LC, which in this work corresponded to gradient-elution reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC). The influence of the mobile-phase composition, the pore size of the stationary-phase particles, and the column temperature were investigated. The separation of five styrene/ethyl acrylate copolymers was studied with one-dimensional RPLC and gSEC. RPLC was shown to lead to a more-accurate CCD in shorter analysis time. The separation of five styrene/methyl methacrylate copolymers was also explored using comprehensive two-dimensional (2D) LC involving gSEC, i.e. SEC × gSEC and SEC × RPLC. In 2D-LC, the use of gSEC was especially advantageous as no breakthrough could occur.

Hyphenation of liquid chromatography and pyrolysis-flame ionization detection/mass spectrometry for polymer quantification and characterization

Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) hyphenated to pyrolysis-gas chromatography (Py-GC) has been demonstrated as a powerful tool in polymer analysis. A main limitation to the wider application of the method are the long second-dimension Py-GC analysis times, resulting in limited first-dimension sampling and/or long overall run times. Therefore, we set out to develop an online hyphenated SEC×Py-MS/FID method, removing the GC separation and allowing for a drastically reduced second-dimension analysis time compared to SEC-Py-GC. The pyrolysis method had a cycle time of 1.31 min, which was facilitated by liquid nitrogen cooling of the programmable temperature vaporizer (PTV) used for pyrolysis. The developed method featured no molar mass discrimination for masses above ±1.3 kDa, rendering it applicable to most commercial polymer systems. The method was demonstrated on multiple samples, including a complex industrial sample, yielding chemical composition heterogeneity and in some cases sequence heterogeneity information over the molar mass distribution.

Online hyphenation of size-exclusion chromatography and pyrolysis-gas chromatography for polymer characterization

An understanding of the composition and molecular heterogeneities of complex industrial polymers forms the basis of gaining control of the physical properties of materials. In the current work we report on the development of an online method to hyphenate liquid polymer chromatography with pyrolysis-GC (Py-GC). The designed workflow included a 10-port valve for fractionation of the first-dimension effluent. Collected fractions were transferred to the Py-GC by means of a second LC pump, a 6-port valve was used to control injection in the Py-GC, allowing the second pump to operate continuously. The optimized large volume injection (LVI) method was capable of analyzing 117 µL of the LC effluent in a 6 min GC separation with a total cycle time of 8.45 min. This resulted in a total run time of 2.1 h while obtaining 15 Py-GC runs over the molar mass separation. The method was demonstrated on various real-life samples including a complex industrial copolymer with a bimodal molar mass distribution. The developed method was used to monitor the relative concentration of 5 different monomers over the molar mass distribution. Furthermore, the molar mass-dependent distribution of a low abundant comonomer (styrene, <1% of total composition) was demonstrated, highlighting the low detection limits and increased resolving power of this approach over e.g. online NMR or IR spectroscopy. The developed method provides a flexible and widely applicable approach to LC-Py-GC hyphenation without having to resort to costly and specialized instrumentation.

Core-Shell Type Lipidic and Polymeric Nanocapsules: the Transformative Multifaceted Delivery Systems

Amongst the several nano-drug delivery systems, lipid or polymer-based core-shell nanocapsules (NCs) have garnered much attention of researchers owing to its multidisciplinary properties and wide application. NCs are structured core-shell systems in which the core is an aqueous or oily phase protecting the encapsulated drug from environmental conditions, whereas the shell can be lipidic or polymeric. The core is stabilized by surfactant/lipids/polymers, which control the release of the drug. The presence of a plethora of biocompatible lipids and polymers with the provision of amicable surface modifications makes NCs an ideal choice for precise drug delivery. In the present article, multiple lipidic and polymeric NC (LNCs and PNCs) systems are described with an emphasis on fabrication methods and characterization techniques. Far-reaching applications as a carrier or delivery system are demonstrated for oral, parenteral, nasal, and transdermal routes of administration to enhance the bioavailability of hard-to-formulate drugs and to achieve sustained and targeted delivery. This review provide in depth understanding on core-shell NC's mechanism of absorption, surface modification, size tuning, and toxicity moderation which overshadows the drawbacks of conventional approaches. Additionally, the review shines a spotlight on the current challenges associated with core-shell NCs and applications in the foreseeable future.

Influence of Microstructure on the Elution Behavior of Gradient Copolymers in Different Modes of Liquid Interaction Chromatography

We studied the influence of microstructure on the chromatographic behavior of gradient copolymers with different gradient strengths and block copolymer with completely segregated blocks by using gradient liquid adsorption chromatography (gLAC) and liquid chromatography at critical conditions (LCCC) for one of the copolymer constituents. The copolymers consist of repeating units of poly(propylene oxide) and poly(propylene phthalate) and have comparable average chemical composition and molar mass, and a narrow molar mass distribution to avoid as much as possible the influence of these parameters on the elution behavior of the copolymers. On both reversed stationary phases, the elution volume of gradient copolymers increases with the increasing strength of the gradient. The results indicate that for both modes of liquid interaction chromatography, it is important to consider the effect of microstructure on the elution behavior of the gradient copolymers in addition to the copolymer chemical composition and molar mass in the case of gLAC and the length of the chromatographically visible copolymer constituent in the case of LCCC.

A Method for Characterizing the Chemical Heterogeneity of Comb-Copolymers and Its Dependence on Synthesis Routes

The heterogeneity in chemical structure of polymers is difficult to characterize and consequently remains an often-overlooked factor in mechanistic studies of functional polymers, as well as in their industrial scale optimization. In this study, we present a method to characterize chemical heterogeneity and apply it to illustrate how it can be affected differently in different synthesis routes. The polymers used are comb-copolymer dispersants used in particulate suspensions which are composed of a polycarboxylate backbone onto which PEG side chains are grafted. The largest use of these polymers concerns concrete, where they are referred to as poly(carboxylate ether) (PCE) superplasticizers and produced at a very large industrial scale. Apart from their practical relevance, PCEs provide a good test case for studying the means and benefits of characterizing chemical heterogeneity. Indeed, the simple addition of a UV detector to a traditional SEC setup with RI detection allowed us to monitor variations in the grafting ratio in dependence on the molecular size. We show that the synthesis pathway significantly impacts the chemical heterogeneity. The suggested method is versatile and can be adapted for a wide range of hydrophilic copolymers. Thus, we present a tool to comprehensively analyze the molecular heterogeneity of dispersants and give a deep insight into their chemical dispersity.

Rapid Generation of Block Copolymer Libraries Using Automated Chromatographic Separation

A versatile and scalable strategy is reported for the rapid generation of block copolymer libraries spanning a wide range of compositions starting from a single parent copolymer. This strategy employs automated and operationally simple chromatographic separation that is demonstrated to be applicable to a variety of block copolymer chemistries on multigram scales with excellent mass recovery. The corresponding phase diagrams exhibit increased compositional resolution compared to those traditionally constructed via multiple, individual block copolymer syntheses. Increased uniformity and lower dispersity of the chromatographic libraries lead to differences in the location of order-order transitions and observable morphologies, highlighting the influence of dispersity on the self-assembly of block copolymers. Significantly, this separation technique greatly simplifies the exploration of block copolymer phase space across a range of compositions, monomer pairs, and molecular weights (up to 50000 amu), producing materials with increased control and homogeneity when compared to conventional strategies.

Rational Design of Multifunctional Polymeric Nanoparticles Based on Poly(l-histidine) and d-α-Vitamin E Succinate for Reversing Tumor Multidrug Resistance

A multifunctional nanoparticulate system composed of methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(l-histidine)-d-α-vitamin E succinate (MPEG-PLH-VES) copolymers for encapsulation of doxorubicin (DOX) was elaborated with the aim of circumventing the multidrug resistance (MDR) in breast cancer treatment. The MPEG-PLH-VES nanoparticles (NPs) were subsequently functionalized with biotin motif for targeted drug delivery. The MPEG-PLH-VES copolymer exerts no obvious effect on the P-gp expression level of MCF-7/ADR but exhibited a significant influence on the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, the reduction of intracellular ATP level, and the inhibition of P-gp ATPase activity of MCF-7/ADR cells. The constructed MPEG-PLH-VES NPs exhibited an acidic pH-induced increase on particle size in aqueous solution. The DOX-encapsulated MPEG-PLH-VES/biotin-PEG-VES (MPEG-PLH-VES/B) NPs were characterized to possess high drug encapsulation efficiency of approximate 90%, an average particle size of approximately 130 nm, and a pH-responsive drug release profile in acidic milieu. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) investigations revealed that the DOX-loaded NPs resulted in an effective delivery of DOX into MCF-/ADR cells and a notable carrier-facilitated escape from endolysosomal entrapment. Pertaining to the in vitro cytotoxicity evaluation, the DOX-loaded MPEG-PLH-VES/B NPs resulted in more pronounced cytotoxicity to MCF-/ADR cells compared with DOX-loaded MPEG-PLH-VES NPs and free DOX solution. In vivo imaging study in MCF-7/ADR tumor-engrafted mice exhibited that the MPEG-PLH-VES/B NPs accumulated at the tumor site more effectively than MPEG-PLH-VES NPs due to the biotin-mediated active targeting effect. In accordance with the in vitro results, DOX-loaded MPEG-PLH-VES/B NPs showed the strongest inhibitory effect against the MCF-7/ADR xenografted tumors with negligible systemic toxicity, as evidenced by the histological analysis and change of body weight. The multifunctional MPEG-PLH-VES/B nanoparticulate system has been demonstrated to provide a promising strategy for efficient delivery of DOX into MCF-7/ADR cancerous cells and reversing MDR.

Determination and correlation of regioselectivity and dead dormant species from head addition in acrylate RAFT polymerization

The dead dormant species from head addition in a RAFT process can be separated and quantified by combining chain-extension and GPEC.

Abundance correction for mass discrimination effects in polymer mass spectra

RATIONALE

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) is frequently used to analyze homo- and copolymers, i.e. for computing copolymer fingerprints. However, the oligomer abundances are influenced by mass discrimination, i.e. mass- and composition-dependent ionization. We have developed a computational method to correct the abundance bias caused by the mass discrimination.

METHODS

MALDI-TOFMS in combination with computational methods was used to investigate three random copolymers with different ratios of styrene and isoprene. Furthermore, equimolar high- and low-mass styrene and isoprene homopolymers (2500 and 4200 Da) were mixed and also analyzed by MALDI-TOFMS. The abundances of both copolymers and homopolymers were corrected for mass discrimination effects with our new method.

RESULTS

The novel computational method was integrated into the existing COCONUT software. The method was demonstrated using the measured styrene and isoprene co- and homopolymers. First, the method was applied to homopolymer spectra. Subsequently, the copolymer fingerprint was computed from the copolymer MALDI mass spectra and the correcting function applied. The changes in the composition are plausible, indicating that correction of copolymer abundances was reasonable.

CONCLUSIONS

Our computational method may help to avoid erroneous conclusions when analyzing copolymer MS spectra. The software is freely available and represents a step towards comprehensive computational support in polymer science. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Quantifying the Heterogeneity of Chemical Structures in Complex Charged Polymers through the Dispersity of Their Distributions of Electrophoretic Mobilities or of Compositions

The complexity of synthetic and natural polymers used in industrial and medical applications is expanding; thus, it becomes increasingly important to improve and develop methods for their molecular characterization. Free-solution capillary electrophoresis is a robust technique for the separation and characterization of both natural and synthetic complex charged polymers. In the case of polyelectrolytes, free-solution capillary electrophoresis is in the "critical conditions" (CE-CC): it allows their separation by factors other than molar mass for molar masses typically higher than 20000 g/mol. This method is thus complementary to size-exclusion chromatography (SEC). SEC is widely used to determine molar mass distributions and their dispersities. Utilizing CE-CC, an analogous calculation of dispersity based on the distributions of electrophoretic mobilities was derived and the heterogeneity of composition or branching in different polysaccharides or synthetic polymers was obtained in a number of experimental cases. Calculations are based on a ratio of moments and could therefore be compared to simulations of polymerization processes, in analogy to the work performed on molar mass distributions. Among four possible types of dispersity, the most precise values were obtained with the calculation analogous with the dispersity of molar mass distribution Mw/Mn. In addition, the dispersity value allows conclusions based on a single value: the closer the dispersity is to 1, the more homogeneous the polymer is in terms of composition or branching. This approach allows the analysis of dispersity of important molecular attributes of polymers other than molar mass and aims at improving the overall molecular characterization of both synthetic and natural polymers. The dispersity can also be monitored online while performing a chemical reaction within the CE instrument.

pH-sensitive nanoparticles of poly(L-histidine)-poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate for anti-tumor drug delivery

A novel pH-sensitive polymer, poly(L-histidine)-poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate (PLH-PLGA-TPGS), was synthesized to design a biocompatible drug delivery system for cancer chemotherapy. The structure of the PLH-PLGA-TPGS copolymer was confirmed by (1)H-NMR, FTIR and GPC. The apparent pKa of the PLH-PLGA-TPGS copolymer was calculated to be 6.33 according to the acid-base titration curve. The doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded nanoparticles (PLH-PLGA-TPGS nanoparticles and PLGA-TPGS nanoparticles) and corresponding blank nanoparticles were prepared by a co-solvent evaporation method. The blank PLH-PLGA-TPGS nanoparticles showed an acidic pH-induced increase in particle size. The DOX-loaded nanoparticles based on PLH-PLGA-TPGS showed a pH-triggered drug-release behavior under acidic conditions. The results of in vitro cytotoxicity experiment on MCF-7 and MCF-7/ADR cells showed that the DOX-loaded PLH-PLGA-TPGS nanoparticles resulted in lower cell viability versus the PLGA-TPGS nanoparticles and free DOX solution. Confocal laser scanning microscopy images showed that DOX-loaded PLH-PLGA-TPGS nanoparticles were internalized by MCF-7/ADR cells after 1 and 4h incubation and most of them accumulated in lysosomes to accelerate DOX release under acidic conditions. In summary, the PLH-PLGA-TPGS nanoparticles have great potential to be used as carriers for anti-tumor drug delivery.

Well-defined triblock copolymers with a photolabile middle block of poly(phenyl vinyl ketone): facile synthesis, chain-scission mechanism and controllable photocleavability

Well-defined triblock copolymers with a photocleavable middle block were synthesized by RAFT polymerization and the photodegradation process was tracked by GPEC.

Investigations of multiple detection of polymers

Theoretical and experimental aspects of multiple detection analysis of polymers are critically revised for size exclusion chromatography (SEC). In particular, different combinations of detectors, the importance of the injected mass and the influence of the tacticity of polymers are evaluated in respect to the accuracy of the weight fractions of the polymer components. It is also shown how overlapping detector responses of the chemical components will affect the accuracy of the weight fractions. The calculation of the weight fractions is performed with equations derived for n different chemical components and detectors by using the slopes and intercepts of the linear response equations. Several detector combinations of dual detection in SEC are evaluated with PS-b-PMMA diblock copolymers to determine the comonomer compositions and for the first time different combinations of triple detections are performed for the determination of the weight fractions of a blend of three homopolymers, respectively. The correct determination of the weight fractions of minor and main components of polymers is strongly affected by the chosen combination of detectors, the injected mass and the intercept of the response calibrations. It is shown how these conditions have to be changed to obtain correct quantifications of the weight fractions according to the experimental setups. The experimental results are approved with online SEC-(1)H/NMR where no response factors are required.

Multi-dimensional separations of polymers

Synthetic polymers and comprehensive two-dimensional liquid chromatography (LC × LC) are a synergistic combination. LC × LC provides unique insights in mutually dependent molecular distributions. Synthetic polymers offer clear demonstrations of the value of LC × LC.

Composition and molecular weight analysis of styrene-acrylic copolymers using thermal field-flow fractionation

Thermal field-flow fractionation coupled with online multiangle light scattering, differential refractive index and quasielastic light scattering (ThFFF-MALS/dRI/QELS) was used to simultaneously determine the molecular weight (MW) and composition of polystyrene-poly(n-butyl acrylate) (PS-PBA) and polystyrene-poly(methyl acrylate) (PS-PMA) copolymers. The online measurement of the normal diffusion coefficient (D) by QELS allowed calculation of the copolymer thermal diffusion coefficient (D(T)) of sample components as they eluted from the ThFFF channel. DT was found to be independent of MW for copolymers with similar compositions and dependent on composition for copolymers with similar MW in a non-selective solvent. By using a solvent that is non-selective to both blocks of the copolymer, it was possible to establish a universal calibration plot of DT versus mole fraction of one of the monomer chemistries comprising the copolymer. PS-PBA and PS-PMA linear diblock polymers were determined to vary in composition from 100/0 to 20/80 wt% PS/acrylate and ranged in MWs between 30 and 360 kDa. The analysis of a PS-PBA miktoarm star copolymer revealed a polydisperse material with a weight percent PBA of 50-75% and MW ranging from 100 to 900 kDa. The presented ThFFF-MALS/dRI/QELS method allowed rapid characterization of polymers with MW and chemical distributions in a single analysis.