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Farias-Mancilla B, Balestri A, Zhang J, Frielinghaus H, Berti D, Montis C, Destarac M, Schubert US, Guerrero-Sanchez C, Harrisson S, Lonetti B. Morphology and thermal transitions of self-assembled NIPAM-DMA copolymers in aqueous media depend on copolymer composition profile. J Colloid Interface Sci 2024; 662:99-108. [PMID: 38340518 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2024.02.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS There is a lack of understanding of the interplay between the copolymer composition profile and thermal transition observed in aqueous solutions of N-isopropyl acrylamide (NIPAM) copolymers, as well as the correlation between this transition and the formation and structure of copolymer self-assemblies. EXPERIMENTS For this purpose, we investigated the response of five copolymers with the same molar mass and chemical composition, but with different composition profile in aqueous solution against temperature. Using complementary analytical techniques, we probed structural properties at different length scales, from the molecular scale with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) to the colloidal scale with Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS). FINDINGS NMR and SANS investigations strengthen each other and allow a clear picture of the change of copolymer solubility and related copolymer self-assembly as a function of temperature. At the molecular scale, dehydrating NIPAM units drag N,N-dimethyl acrylamide (DMA) moieties with them in a gradual collapse of the copolymer chain; this induces a morphological transition of the self-assemblies from star-like nanostructures to crew-cut micelles. Interestingly, the transition spans a temperature range which depends on the monomer distribution profile in the copolymer chain, with the asymmetric triblock copolymer specimen revealing the broadest one. We show that the broad morphological transitions associated with gradient copolymers can be mimicked and even surpassed by the use of stepwise gradient (asymmetric) copolymers, which can be more easily and reproducibly synthesized than linear gradient copolymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Farias-Mancilla
- Laboratoire Softmat, Université de Toulouse, CNRS UMR 5623, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, France
| | - Arianna Balestri
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence and CSGI, Florence, Italy
| | - Junliang Zhang
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany; Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Henrich Frielinghaus
- Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Jülich Center for Neutron Science at Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum, Lichtenbergstrasse 1, 85747 Garching, Germany
| | - Debora Berti
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence and CSGI, Florence, Italy
| | - Costanza Montis
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff", University of Florence and CSGI, Florence, Italy
| | - Mathias Destarac
- Laboratoire Softmat, Université de Toulouse, CNRS UMR 5623, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, France
| | - Ulrich S Schubert
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany; Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Carlos Guerrero-Sanchez
- Laboratory of Organic and Macromolecular Chemistry (IOMC), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany; Jena Center for Soft Matter (JCSM), Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.
| | - Simon Harrisson
- LCPO, CNRS/Bordeaux-INP/Université de Bordeaux, Pessac, France.
| | - Barbara Lonetti
- Laboratoire Softmat, Université de Toulouse, CNRS UMR 5623, Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier, France.
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Antignano I, D’Acunzo F, Arena D, Casciardi S, Del Giudice A, Gentile F, Pelosi M, Masci G, Gentili P. Influence of Nanoaggregation Routes on the Structure and Thermal Behavior of Multiple-Stimuli-Responsive Micelles from Block Copolymers of Oligo(ethylene glycol) Methacrylate and the Weak Acid [2-(Hydroxyimino)aldehyde]butyl Methacrylate. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:14371-14386. [PMID: 36346681 PMCID: PMC9686140 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c02515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we compare nanoaggregation driven by pH-induced micellization (PIM) and by the standard solvent displacement (SD) method on a series of pH-, light-, and thermosensitive amphiphilic block copolymers. Specifically, we investigate poly(HIABMA)-b-poly(OEGMA) and poly(HIABMA)-b-poly(DEGMA-r-OEGMA), where HIABMA = [(hydroxyimino)aldehyde]butyl methacrylate, OEGMA = oligo(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate, and DEGMA = di(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate. The weakly acidic HIA group (pKa ≈ 8) imparts stability to micelles at neutral pH, unlike most of the pH-responsive copolymers investigated in the literature. With SD, only some of our copolymers yield polymeric micelles (34-59 nm), and their thermoresponsivity is either poor or altogether absent. In contrast, PIM affords thermoresponsive, smaller micelles (down to 24 nm), regardless of the polymer composition. In some cases, cloud points are remarkably well defined and exhibit limited hysteresis. By combining turbidimetric, dyamic light scattering, and small-angle X-ray scattering measurements, we show that SD yields loose micelles with POEGMA segments partly involved in the formation of the hydrophobic core, whereas PIM yields more compact core-shell micelles with a well-defined PHIABMA core. We conclude that pH-based nanoaggregation provides advantages over block-selective solvation to obtain compact micelles exhibiting well-defined responses to external stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Antignano
- Department
of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185Roma, Italy
| | - Francesca D’Acunzo
- Institute
of Biological Systems (ISB), Italian National Research Council (CNR),
Sezione Meccanismi di Reazione, c/o Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185Roma, Italy
| | - Davide Arena
- Department
of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185Roma, Italy
| | - Stefano Casciardi
- National
Institute for Insurance Against Accidents at Work (INAIL Research),
Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Epidemiology and Hygiene, Via Fontana Candida 1, 00078Monte Porzio Catone (Rome), Italy
| | | | - Francesca Gentile
- Department
of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185Roma, Italy
| | - Maria Pelosi
- Department
of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185Roma, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Masci
- Department
of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185Roma, Italy
| | - Patrizia Gentili
- Department
of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185Roma, Italy
- Institute
of Biological Systems (ISB), Italian National Research Council (CNR),
Sezione Meccanismi di Reazione, c/o Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185Roma, Italy
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Pacheco M, Mayorga-Martinez CC, Escarpa A, Pumera M. Micellar Polymer Magnetic Microrobots as Efficient Nerve Agent Microcleaners. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:26128-26134. [PMID: 35612487 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c02926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Micro-/nanorobot technology has developed rapidly in recent years due to their great potential to perform multiple tasks. Here, we develop magnetic microrobots prepared as polycaprolactone/Fe3O4 microspheres covered by micellar polyethyleneimine and use them to efficiently remove a nerve agent from contaminated water. The magnetic polymeric microrobots presented in this work removed around 60% of the nerve agent from water samples in a short time. The attractive performance of these magnetic microrobots offers a very promising approach to large-scale water treatment for environmental remediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Pacheco
- Center for Advanced Functional Nanorobots, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares 28802, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen C Mayorga-Martinez
- Center for Advanced Functional Nanorobots, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Alberto Escarpa
- Chemical Research Institute "Andres M. del Río", University of Alcalá, Alcalá de Henares 28802, Madrid, Spain
| | - Martin Pumera
- Center for Advanced Functional Nanorobots, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
- Department of Medical Research, China Medical University Hospital, China Medical University, 40402 Taichung, Taiwan
- Future Energy and Innovation Laboratory, Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, CZ-612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
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Hechenbichler M, Prause A, Gradzielski M, Laschewsky A. Thermoresponsive Self-Assembly of Twofold Fluorescently Labeled Block Copolymers in Aqueous Solution and Microemulsions. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:5166-5182. [PMID: 34734729 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c02318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
A nonionic double hydrophilic block copolymer with a long permanently hydrophilic and a small thermoresponsive block is synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization (RAFT). By employing a specifically designed chain-transfer agent, the polymer is functionalized with complementary end groups which are suited for Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET). The end group attached to the permanently hydrophilic block of poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) pDMAm is designed as a permanently hydrophobic segment ("sticker") comprising a long alkyl chain and the 4-aminonaphthalimide fluorophore. The other end attached to the thermoresponsive block of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) pNiPAm incorporates a coumarin fluorophore. The temperature-dependent self-assembly of the twofold fluorescently labeled copolymer is studied in pure aqueous solution as well as in an o/w microemulsion by several techniques including turbidimetry, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and fluorescence spectroscopy. It is compared to the behaviors of the analogous twofold-labeled pDMAm and pNiPAm homopolymer references. The findings indicate that the block copolymer behaves as a polymeric surfactant at low temperatures, with one relatively small hydrophobic end block and an extended hydrophilic chain forming "hairy micelles". At elevated temperatures above the LCST phase transition of the pNiPAm block, however, the copolymer behaves as an associative telechelic polymer with two nonsymmetrical hydrophobic end blocks, which do not mix. Thus, instead of a network of bridged "flower micelles", large dynamic aggregates are formed. These are connected alternatingly by the original micellar cores as well as by clusters of the collapsed pNiPAm blocks. This type of structure is even more favored in the o/w microemulsion than in pure aqueous solution, as the microemulsion droplets constitute an attractive anchoring point for the hydrophobic dodecyl sticker but not for the collapsed pNiPAm chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Hechenbichler
- Institut für Chemie, Universität Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 24-25, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Albert Prause
- Stranski-Laboratorium für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, FG Physical Chemistry/Molecular Material Science Institute of Chemistry, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17 Juni 124, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Gradzielski
- Stranski-Laboratorium für Physikalische und Theoretische Chemie, FG Physical Chemistry/Molecular Material Science Institute of Chemistry, Technische Universität Berlin, Straße des 17 Juni 124, 10623 Berlin, Germany
| | - André Laschewsky
- Institut für Chemie, Universität Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 24-25, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute of Applied Polymer Research IAP, Fraunhofer Institute, Geiselbergstr. 69, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
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Yuan T, Li Y, Song DP. Interfacial Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic Core-Shell Bottlebrush Block Copolymers Toward Responsive Photonic Balls Bearing Ionic Channels. Macromol Rapid Commun 2022; 43:e2200188. [PMID: 35436806 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202200188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Photonic balls can be facilely obtained through interfacial self-assembly of amphiphilic bottlebrush block polymers (BBCPs) within a water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) multiple emulsion system, and polystyrene (PS) has been employed as the skeleton of the balls showing no responsive properties. Here, we demonstrate the design and synthesis of core-shell BBCPs with a poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-block-polystyrene (PtBA-b-PS) block copolymer as the hydrophobic side chains and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as the hydrophilic block. Interfacial self-assembly of the core-shell BBCPs within shrinking droplets produces porous microspheres with full-spectrum structural colors through an organized spontaneous emulsification (OSE) process. The PtBA core wrapped by PS in the skeleton of the balls can be converted into polyacrylic acid (PAA) forming an ionic channel responsive to pH variations. Consequently, the hydrolyzed photonic balls show different colors under different pH conditions dependent on varied degrees of ionization and hydration of the PAA channel. Reflected colors can be verified using an optical spectrometer, providing an effective strategy for precise pH indication. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tengfei Yuan
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Yuesheng Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Dong-Po Song
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Composite and Functional Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
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