1
|
Polanowski P, Hałagan K, Sikorski A. Star Polymers vs. Dendrimers: Studies of the Synthesis Based on Computer Simulations. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14132522. [PMID: 35808567 PMCID: PMC9269100 DOI: 10.3390/polym14132522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
A generic model was developed for studies of the polymerization process of regular branched macromolecules. Monte Carlo simulations were performed employing the Dynamic Lattice Liquid algorithm to study this process. A core-first methodology was used in a living polymerization of stars with up to 32 arms, and dendrimers consisted of 4-functional segments. The kinetics of the synthesis process for stars with different numbers of branches and dendrimers was compared. The size and structure of star-branched polymers and dendrimers during the synthesis were studied. The influence of the functionality of well-defined cores on the structure and on the dispersity of the system was also examined. The differences in the kinetics in the formation of both architectures, as well as changes to their structures, were described and discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Polanowski
- Department of Molecular Physics, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Lodz, Poland; (P.P.); (K.H.)
| | - Krzysztof Hałagan
- Department of Molecular Physics, Lodz University of Technology, 90-924 Lodz, Poland; (P.P.); (K.H.)
| | - Andrzej Sikorski
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Pasteura 1, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Yong HW, Kakkar A. Nanoengineering Branched Star Polymer-Based Formulations: Scope, Strategies, and Advances. Macromol Biosci 2021; 21:e2100105. [PMID: 34117840 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202100105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Soft nanoparticles continue to offer a promising platform for the encapsulation and controlled delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs and help enhance their bioavailability at targeted sites. Linear amphiphilic block copolymers are the most extensively investigated in formulating delivery vehicles. However, more recently, there has been increasing interest in utilizing branched macromolecules for nanomedicine, as these have been shown to lower critical micelle concentrations, form particles of smaller dimensions, facilitate the inclusion of varied compositions and function-based entities, as well as provide prolonged and sustained release of cargo. In this review, it is aimed to discuss some of the key variables that are studied in tailoring branched architecture-based assemblies, and their influence on drug loading and delivery. By understanding structure-property relationships in these formulations, one can better design branched star polymers with suitable characteristics for efficient therapeutic interventions. The role played by polymer composition, chain architecture, crosslinking, stereocomplexation, compatibility between polymers and drugs, drug/polymer concentrations, and self-assembly methods in their performance as nanocarriers is highlighted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wen Yong
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Quebec, H3A 0B8, Canada
| | - Ashok Kakkar
- Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke Street West, Montréal, Quebec, H3A 0B8, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Danielsen SPO, Beech HK, Wang S, El-Zaatari BM, Wang X, Sapir L, Ouchi T, Wang Z, Johnson PN, Hu Y, Lundberg DJ, Stoychev G, Craig SL, Johnson JA, Kalow JA, Olsen BD, Rubinstein M. Molecular Characterization of Polymer Networks. Chem Rev 2021; 121:5042-5092. [PMID: 33792299 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c01304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Polymer networks are complex systems consisting of molecular components. Whereas the properties of the individual components are typically well understood by most chemists, translating that chemical insight into polymer networks themselves is limited by the statistical and poorly defined nature of network structures. As a result, it is challenging, if not currently impossible, to extrapolate from the molecular behavior of components to the full range of performance and properties of the entire polymer network. Polymer networks therefore present an unrealized, important, and interdisciplinary opportunity to exert molecular-level, chemical control on material macroscopic properties. A barrier to sophisticated molecular approaches to polymer networks is that the techniques for characterizing the molecular structure of networks are often unfamiliar to many scientists. Here, we present a critical overview of the current characterization techniques available to understand the relation between the molecular properties and the resulting performance and behavior of polymer networks, in the absence of added fillers. We highlight the methods available to characterize the chemistry and molecular-level properties of individual polymer strands and junctions, the gelation process by which strands form networks, the structure of the resulting network, and the dynamics and mechanics of the final material. The purpose is not to serve as a detailed manual for conducting these measurements but rather to unify the underlying principles, point out remaining challenges, and provide a concise overview by which chemists can plan characterization strategies that suit their research objectives. Because polymer networks cannot often be sufficiently characterized with a single method, strategic combinations of multiple techniques are typically required for their molecular characterization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Scott P O Danielsen
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Haley K Beech
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Shu Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Bassil M El-Zaatari
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Xiaodi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | | | | | - Zi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Patricia N Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Yixin Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - David J Lundberg
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Georgi Stoychev
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Stephen L Craig
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Jeremiah A Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Julia A Kalow
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Bradley D Olsen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Michael Rubinstein
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States.,Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States.,World Primer Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (WPI-ICReDD), Hokkaido University, Kita 21 Nishi 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0021, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Bačová P, Glynos E, Anastasiadis SH, Harmandaris V. How Does the Number of Arms Affect the Properties of Mikto-Arm Stars in a Selective Oligomeric Matrix? Insights from Atomistic Simulations. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:1138-1148. [PMID: 33490773 PMCID: PMC7818313 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c04167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
We present a simulation study of amphiphilic mikto-arm star copolymers in a selective polymer host. By means of atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we examine the structural and dynamical properties of mikto-arm stars with varying number, n, of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and polystyrene (PS) arms, (PEO) n (PS) n in a 33% wt blend with an oligomeric PEO host (o-PEO). As the number of arms increases, the stars resemble more spherical particles with less separated PEO and PS intramolecular domains. As a result of their internal morphology and associated geometrical constraints, the mikto-arm stars self-assemble either into cylindrical-like objects or a percolated network with increasing n, within the o-PEO matrix. The segmental dynamics is mostly governed by the star architecture and the heterogeneous local environment, formed by the intra- and intermolecular nanosegregation. We discuss the role of each factor and compare the results with previously published studies on mikto-arm stars.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Petra Bačová
- Institute
of Applied and Computational Mathematics (IACM), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Emmanouil Glynos
- Institute
of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation
for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Spiros H. Anastasiadis
- Institute
of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation
for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Crete, GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Vagelis Harmandaris
- Institute
of Applied and Computational Mathematics (IACM), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Department
of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Crete, GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Computation-Based
Science and Technology Research Center, The Cyprus Institute, 20 Constantinou Kavafi Street, 2121 Nicosia, Cyprus
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Gkolfi E, Bačová P, Harmandaris V. Size and Shape Characteristics of Polystyrene and Poly(ethylene oxide) Star Polymer Melts Studied By Atomistic Simulations. MACROMOL THEOR SIMUL 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/mats.202000067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eirini Gkolfi
- Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics University of Crete Heraklion Crete GR‐71409 Greece
- Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics (IACM) Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH) Heraklion Crete GR‐70013 Greece
| | - Petra Bačová
- Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics (IACM) Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH) Heraklion Crete GR‐70013 Greece
| | - Vagelis Harmandaris
- Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics University of Crete Heraklion Crete GR‐71409 Greece
- Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics (IACM) Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH) Heraklion Crete GR‐70013 Greece
- Computation‐Based Science and Technology Research Center The Cyprus Institute 20 Constantinou Kavafi Str. Nicosia 2121 Cyprus
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Bačová P, Foskinis R, Glynos E, Rissanou AN, Anastasiadis SH, Harmandaris V. Effect of macromolecular architecture on the self-assembly behavior of copolymers in a selective polymer host. SOFT MATTER 2018; 14:9562-9570. [PMID: 30349909 DOI: 10.1039/c8sm01421c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
We present a detailed simulation study of the structural and dynamical behavior of star-shaped mikto-arm (polystyrene)8(poly(ethylene oxide))8, (PS)8(PEO)8, copolymers with eight arms of each type, versus that of a linear polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide), PS-b-PEO, diblock, in a selective homopolymer host. Both copolymers are blended at the same weight fraction 33% with an oligomeric PEO host. We use atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to account for the molecular interactions present in the blends and to study quantitatively the dynamical and structural properties of these systems. The presence of the selective oligomeric PEO host leads to the formation of complex self-assembled structures. While cylindrical structures are formed in the case of linear diblock copolymers, mikto-arm star copolymers form percolated interconnected assemblies within the PEO host. The cylindrical objects formed by the linear diblock copolymers exhibit a higher degree of compactness and a weaker temperature dependence than the percolated network formed by their star-shaped analogues. The dynamics is governed primarily by the local structural heterogeneity, i.e., the environment around a segment, which is determined by the interaction between the different components, the macromolecular architecture of the copolymer as well as the associated geometrical constrains. Our data further stress the fact that the structural and dynamical properties in these blends may be controlled/tuned by the macromolecular architecture of the copolymer and/or by adjusting the temperature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Petra Bačová
- Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics (IACM), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|