Comb-like thermoresponsive polymeric materials: Synthesis and effect of macromolecular structure on solution properties

Gold nanorod-chitosan based nanocomposites for photothermal and chemoembolization therapy of breast cancer

Gold nanorods (AuNR) have received significant attention in tumor thermo-chemotherapy. However, insufficient thermal availability limits the in vivo highly efficient applications of AuNR in photothermal therapy. In this study, we have fabricated N-isopropylacrylamide grafted O-carboxymethyl chitosan nanoparticles (NCMC NPs) with thermo-responsive properties for co-encapsulating AuNR and doxorubicin (DOX), forming AuNR@NCMC/DOX nanocomposites (NCs). As a result of the thermo- and photothermal-responsiveness, AuNR@NCMC/DOX NCs exhibited irreversible aggregation at high temperature and under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation with an increase of size to 3 μm. When AuNR@NCMC/DOX NCs reached tumor sites following intravenous administration, they were located in the tumor vessels under NIR irradiation due to an embolization effect. This response enhanced tumor targeting, on-demand release, and the thermal performance of AuNR@NCMC/DOX NCs. We have observed higher tumor accumulation of DOX and AuNR with subsequent stronger inhibition of tumor growth than that achieved without NIR irradiation. The development of AuNR-based NCs with multiple smart responsivenesses at tumors can provide a promising paradigm for solid tumor treatment via the cooperative effects of photothermal therapy and chemoembolization.

Optimized formulation of thermoresponsive nanoemulsion-based gel for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) application

A thermoresponsive system of a nanoemulsion-based gel with favorable characteristics to enhanced oil recovery (EOR) application is presented. A full factorial design study with different formulations of thermosensitive nanoemulsion-based gels was performed to assess the influence of the oil chain length, concentration of polyethylene glycol (PEG 400) and concentration of oil on the rheological behavior of the system. A formulation with low viscosity at room temperature and high viscosity at the temperature of the oil extraction well was presented. Hexane (6-carbon chain), capric acid (10-carbon chain) and isopropyl myristate (17-carbon chain) were used in concentrations of 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% wt%, also varying the concentration of PEG 400 in 0%, 3%, 6% and 9% wt%. The thermosensitive polymer used was a mixture of Pluronic® F-127 and Pluronic® F-68 6:1 wt% at 4.7% concentration. The surfactants used were Tween 80 and Span 80 (HLB = 13) at 20%. The formulation containing 20% isopropyl myristate (IPM) without the addition of PEG 400 showed a better response, with an increase in viscosity of more than 38 times in relation to its viscosity at 25 °C, and the maximum viscosity was reached at 53 °C. This is a promising formulation for EOR technology.

Starlike Branched Polyacrylamides by RAFT Polymerization-Part I: Synthesis and Characterization

Starlike branched polyacrylamides (SB-PAMs) were synthesized using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer copolymerization of acrylamide (AM) and N,N'-methylenebis(acrylamide) (BisAM) in the presence of 3-(((benzylthio) carbonothioyl)thio)propanoic acid as a chain transfer agent, followed by chain extension with AM. The amount of incorporated BisAM in the core and the amount of AM during chain extension have been systematically varied. Core structures were achieved by incorporation of total monomer ratios [BisAM]/[AM] ranging from 0.010 to 0.143. The obtained macromolecular chain transfer agents had weight average molecular weights in the range of (2.2-7.8) × 103 Da and polydispersity indices between 1.2 and 15.1. Kinetic experiments were performed to investigate the extent of control of polymerization. Finally, the expansion of the core structures by chain-extension polymerization resulted in the successful preparation of high molecular weight SB-PAMs with apparent molecular weights ranging from 19 to 1250 kDa.

Thermo-Responsive Starch-g-(PAM-co-PNIPAM): Controlled Synthesis and Effect of Molecular Components on Solution Rheology

A series of highly branched random copolymers of acrylamide (AM) and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) have been prepared from a waxy potato starch-based macroinitiator by aqueous Cu⁰-mediated living radical polymerization (Cu⁰-mediated LRP). The NIPAM intake in the copolymer was varied between 0% and 50 mol % to evaluate the influence of chain composition on the aqueous rheological properties as well as their low critical solution temperature (LCST). The viscosity of the copolymer was found to increase with the NIPAM intake and an LCST can be observed when the NIPAM content is high enough (e.g., 50 mol %). In addition, thermo-thickening behavior was observed at a low shear rate (γ ≤ 10 s-1) and higher NIPAM content was found to shift the onset of thermo-thickening behavior to a lower temperature. However, the absolute increase in viscosity values is reduced with the NIPAM intake. Besides this, an interesting significant thermo-thickening behavior was also observed on highly branched starch-g-polyacrylamide at high temperatures (>80 °C), which has not been previously reported. Rheology tests also revealed a good salt-resistant property in copolymers with low NIPAM content (e.g., <25 mol %). Considering the viscosity profile in saline as compared to that in pure water, this NIPAM intake seems to represent an optimum balance of viscosity and salt-resistance performance.

Functional polyketones for the removal of calcium and magnesium from water (part I): synthesis and chemical characterization

The aim of the present study was to design and synthesize a new class of compounds for the softening of hard water, i.e. for the removal of the divalent cations Ca2+ and Mg2+. To that end, a class of alternating aliphatic polyketones (copolymers of ethylene and propylene with carbon monoxide, PK30) was functionalized with a variety of amines employing the Paal-Knorr reaction, a relatively straightforward reaction-route to synthesize functional polyketones. The amino groups included aliphatic and aromatic structures with a molecular weight ranging from 74.1 to 129.2 g/mol. Elemental analysis was used to establish the degree of functionalization, whereas 1H-NMR spectroscopy was used to identify the molecular structure of the prepared polymers. Model compounds were used as reference for guiding structure determination and for studying the (relative) reaction kinetics.

Stimuli-responsive hyperbranched poly(amidoamine)s integrated with thermal and pH sensitivity, reducible degradability and intrinsic photoluminescence

Stimuli-responsive HPA-C4s integrated with thermal and pH sensitivity, reducible degradability and intrinsic photoluminescence were successfully prepared and characterized.

AR, Shaban M, Ayatollahi S, de la Cal JC, Sheng JJ, Tomovska R. Nanostructured Particles for Controlled Polymer Release in Enhanced Oil Recovery

With the decline in oil discoveries over recent decades, it is believed that enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies will play a key role to meet energy demand in the coming years. Polymer flooding is used commonly worldwide as an EOR process. In this work, we propose the synthesis of protected polyacrylamide (PAM) nanoparticles (PPNs) with a hydrophobic polystyrene (PSt) shell by one‐pot two‐step inverse emulsion polymerization, in which the PSt shell was created by surface polymerization. The shell protects the active PAM chains from premature degradation caused by the harsh environment in the reservoirs, controls the release of the chains as rheological modifiers, and additionally, it provides the chains with prolonged stability. The time‐dependent release of the PPNs promotes the effectiveness of the PPNs as viscosity modifiers, as the maximum viscosity enhancement is achieved at longer residence times in the reservoirs. This can be up to 30 days, and the released polymer maintained its activity. Under conditions of high salinity (total dissolved solids=178 082 mg L−1), temperatures up to 90 °C, and shear rates up to 1000 s−1, PPNs have shown superior properties, such as elastic modulus, shear rate behavior, viscosity loss, and sand adsorption over PAM, whereas the areal sweep efficiency of PPNs is similar to that of PAM and higher than that of conventional water flooding. All of this makes PPNs promising candidates for polymer‐enhanced oil recovery.

Synthesis of sequence-determined bottlebrush polymers based on sequence determination in living anionic copolymerization of styrene and dimethyl(4-(1-phenylvinyl)phenyl)silane

Sequence-determined bottlebrush polymers are precisely, efficiently and conveniently synthesized.