PEO-PPO-PEO嵌段共聚物与没食子酸丙酯的相互作用研究

PEO-PPO-PEO嵌段共聚物在水溶液中能够形成稳定的胶团结构,可作为疏水药物的有效载体[1]。然而,PEO-PPO-PEO与疏水药物在分子水平的作用机理尚未清楚,本工作以没食子酸丙酯(PG)为模型分子,采用动态光散射和核磁共振技术研究了其与嵌段共聚物P123之间的相互作用。研究发现,P123在水溶液中的临界胶团温度(CMT)随PG浓度增加而降低,且较高浓度的PG还能引起P123胶团尺寸的增加。PG烷基链与PPO嵌段甲基间存在较强疏水作用,该作用能促进PPO嵌段的去水化过程,从而降低P123在水溶液中的临界胶团温度(CMT)。此外,PG的酚羟基与嵌段共聚物PEO和PPO嵌段醚氧原子间均存在氢键作用。     

牛血清白蛋白对Pluronic聚合物胶团形成的影响研究

用吡啶作为荧光探针研究了嵌段共聚物PluronicF108胶团形成以及牛血清白蛋白(BSA)对嵌段共聚物胶团形成的影响。研究表明,BSA阻碍嵌段共聚物的胶团形成,BSA与嵌段共聚物疏水链段的疏水相互作用是其阻碍嵌段共聚物胶团形成的主要原因。     

PEO-PPO-PEO嵌段共聚物的NMR研究进展

PEO-PPO-PEO嵌段共聚物是重要的非离子型高分子表面活性剂,在药物载体和基因治疗等领域有着广阔的应用前景. 核磁共振(NMR)作为重要的研究手段,在研究PEO-PPO-PEO嵌段共聚物胶团及液晶结构形成,揭示嵌段共聚物与各种添加剂或药物分子的相互作用机理,有着独特的优势. 本文重点介绍了¹H、¹³C和²H NMR波谱以及NMR弛豫时间和自扩散NMR等技术在研究PEO-PPO-PEO嵌段共聚物体系中的应用. 简要介绍了NMR技术在PEO-PPO-PEO 嵌段共聚物聚集、调控以及作为药物载体等方面的研究现状.     

基于自洽场理论两亲高分子自组装的研究

运用扩展的自洽场和密度泛函理论(SCF/DFT),研究ABC蝌蚪形两亲高分子在稀溶剂中的自组装形态,其中蝌蚪形两亲高分子由线形嵌段共聚物链AB嫁接到球形纳米颗粒C上构成.与以往研究的线形ABC两亲高分子相比,蝌蚪形两亲高分子的自组装形态有着很大的不同.在粒子亲溶剂,嵌段共聚物疏溶剂时,各组分间弱分凝条件下,蝌蚪形两亲高分子自组装成胶球状形貌;在强分凝条件下,随着嵌段共聚物疏溶剂性的增强,两亲高分子的自组织态由胶球状转变成四角、三角状形貌,其中嵌段B主要分布在各角上.通过改变各组分间的相互作用,在嵌段A亲溶剂,嵌段B和粒子疏溶剂时,粒子呈平行棒状或小方块状分布在胶球中.     

水溶液中表面活性离子液体与PEO-PPO-PEO嵌段共聚物的相互作用

表面活性离子液体(SAILs)兼备离子液体和表面活性剂的性质~([1])。将其特性引入到传统的有序分子聚集体如PEO-PPO-PEO中,不但有助于改善聚集体的性质,还有望形成形态新颖的聚集体结构。因此,离子液体参与构筑的有序分子聚集体及其与两亲性分子的相互作用引起人们的日益关注~([2-3])。本工作C_8mimBr为SAILs代表,采用NMR和DLS研究了其与F127的相互作用。研究发现,F127的CMT随C_8mimBr的添加而降低,且CMT的下降程度紧密依赖于C_8mimBr的添加量。但是,当溶液中C_8mimBr浓度超过其自身CMC时,F127胶团解聚并分散于以C_8mimBr为主的胶团中。NOESY研究发现F127的EO链段的醚氧原子与C_8mimBr的咪唑环间存在氢键作用,PO链段与C_8mimBr的烷基链间存在疏水相互作用。     

芘在Pluronic两亲嵌段共聚物胶团中的增溶

用稳态荧光法研究芘在Ｐｌｕｒｏｎｉｃ两亲嵌段共聚物胶团水溶液中的增溶,结果表明共聚物分子中的ＰＰＯ实际含量越大,越有利于Ｐｙ的增容,加入无机盐ＫＣｌ导致生成了表面较少水化的较大胶团,并且由于ＫＣｌ解离产生的离子使溶剂极性增加,这些因素促进了Ｐｙ的增溶。     

共聚物Pluronic P103对牛血清白蛋白荧光光谱的猝灭

应用静态荧光光谱研究了嵌段共聚物PluronicP103对牛血清白蛋白(BSA)荧光光谱的猝灭。研究表明,PluronicP103对BSA的荧光有猝灭作用,动态猝灭是引起BSA荧光猝灭的主要原因。发现嵌段共聚物PluronicP103在水溶液中的蔟集状态影响其与BSA的相互作用,以胶团形式存在的PluronicP103对BSA的猝灭作用更强。     

嵌段共聚物受限于软孔内的自组装

利用自洽场方法研究两嵌段共聚物受限于接枝均聚物链(聚合物刷)圆孔中的自组装相形貌.研究表明,当圆孔内径一定时,嵌段比f和聚合物刷C的体积分数φ_C是调控嵌段共聚物相形貌的主要因素,聚合物刷的弹性熵也起着重要作用.当f＝0.7时,在聚合物刷的浸润下,贴近刷表面处AB嵌段共聚物构成环层状结构,随着φ_C的减小这种结构会周而复始地出现.当f处于0. 关键词： 嵌段共聚物 圆孔受限 聚合物刷 自洽场     

受限壁的选择性对软受限下星形三嵌段共聚物形貌的影响

基于嵌段共聚物在软受限条件下能够自组装形成很多有序结构,在催化、电子器件、光学传感等领域有广泛的应用价值,目前只对线性三嵌段共聚物在软受限下的自组装形貌做了分析,对星形三嵌段共聚物在软受限下的自组装行为还未有一个统一的定论.在这项研究中,应用模拟退火来研究ABC星形三嵌段共聚物在软受限下的自组装行为,嵌段与溶剂没有选择性下(中性壁),通过调整三个嵌段(f_A、f_B和f_C)的体积分数来构建相图,我们的模拟预测了各种独特的自组装纳米结构,包括薄片+球形、圆柱状,穿孔层,薄片+圆柱体,核壳补丁.然后通过改变嵌段与溶剂的选择性预测了链长度比为1:x:1的共聚物粒子形貌.通过计算接触数、均方根末端距与平均链长的比值以及平均键长随x的变化,验证了形貌转变机制.     

嵌段共聚物微相分离的统计热力学

嵌段共聚物微相分离的统计热力学,是与近二十年来高分子科学和工业中一项引人注目的成就密切相关的.五十年代末,Szwarc[1]发明了活性阴离子聚合.六十年代中期。这一发明被成功地用于嵌段共聚物的制备,例如,由苯乙烯S与丁二烯B,通过阴离子聚合可形成二嵌段(SSS…SBBB·B,简记为SB)或三嵌段(SSS…SBBB…BSSS…S。简记为SBS)的嵌段共聚物.这些共聚物具有优良的弹性体的性能.特别是,由于共聚物中聚苯乙烯(PS)和聚丁二烯(PB)的不相容性,它们之间会产生微相分离(图1).这样,处于玻璃态的PS微区就使处于高弹态的PB 链形成了网格结构,…     

Mesostructures and properties of transparent block copolymer/silica nanocomposite monoliths

In this work, three different block copolymer/silica hybrid nanocomposite monoliths that possess mesostructured domains (hexagonal, cubic, and disordered) were prepared through the micellization of the block copolymer during the sol-gel process of a silica precursor. Transparent block copolymer/silica nanocomposite monoliths were obtained from the amphiphilic triblock copolymer poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (EO₁₀₆PO₇₀EO₁₀₆, Pluronic F127), which we used to organize the polymerizing silica networks; the ratio between the block copolymer and silica was fixed at 60:40 (wt%). Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to observe the mesostructural ordering. Temperature-dependent SAXS patterns of the cubic structured nanocomposites showed that the calcination process takes place at 210°C. The transmittances of the nanocomposite monoliths over the range of wavelengths from 400 to 800 nm was >85%. From rheological measurements at low frequency, it was found that the hexagonally structured monoliths had higher storage and loss moduli relative to the monoliths possessing cubic and disordered structures.     

Step-addition Method for Enhancing the Yield of Gold Nanoparticles in Block Copolymer Solution

Triblock copolymer poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) has been used to synthesize gold nanoparticles from hydrogen tetrachloroaureate (III) hydrate (HAuCl₄·3H₂O) salt in aqueous solution at room temperature. Measurements were performed using the triblock copolymer Pluronic P85 (EO₂₆PO₃₉EO₂₆) at a fixed concentration (1 wt%) mixed with varying HAuCl₄·3H₂O concentration in the range of 0.001 to 0.1 wt%. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) band in UV-visible absorption spectra confirmed the formation of the gold nanoparticles. The maximum yield of the nanoparticles was found at 0.005 wt% of the salt solution. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) does not show any significant change in the scattering profile in these suspensions of the nanoparticles. A similar behavior was also observed in dynamic light scattering (DLS) experiments where autocorrelation function was found to be independent of the salt concentration. This can be understood since a high-block copolymer-to-gold ion ratio (r ～ 22) is required in the reduction reaction to produce gold particles. As a result, a very small fraction of the block copolymers were associated with the gold nanoparticles, and hence lead to a very low yield. Both SANS and DLS basically see the micelles of most of these block copolymers, which are not associated with nanoparticles. Based on this explanation, a step-addition method was used to enhance the yield of gold nanoparticles by manifold, where the gold salt is added in small steps to maintain higher value of r (>22), and therefore continuous formation of nanoparticles.     

Stimuli-responsive poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymers and complexation with poly(acrylic acid) at low pH

The self-organization of the double hydrophilic triblock copolymer poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine)-b-poly(ethylene oxide), PEO-b-P2VP-b-PEO, was investigated in dilute aqueous solution under several experimental conditions using turbidimetry, as well as static and dynamic light scattering. As a result of the temperature-sensitive properties of the end PEO blocks and the p H-responsive properties of the middle P2VP block, the formation of large star-like micellar nanostructures is observed at high p H, while at low p H, but in the presence of salt and at high temperature, flower-like micelles are formed. Moreover, the viscosimetric and dynamic light scattering studies at low p H revealed that micelle-like nanostructures are formed upon mixing the triblock copolymer with poly(acrylic acid), PAA, due to hydrogen bonding interpolymer complexation.     

Immobilization of poly(?-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(?-caprolactone) triblock copolymer on poly(lactide-co-glycolide) surface and dual biofunctional effects

Poly(?-caprolactone)-poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(?-caprolactone) (PCL-PEG-PCL) triblock copolymer was covalently immobilized onto poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) surface with the precursor of photopolymerizable and biodegradable PCL-PEG-PCL diacrylates. Argon plasma technique was exploited to obtain hydrophilic PLGA surface (HPLGA). The surface properties were characterized by Water contact angle and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. PCL-PEG-PCL surface modified hydrophobic PLGA and hydrophilic PLGA results in different surface physicochemical properties. PCL-PEG-PCL modified hydrophobic PLGA surface (PLGA-PCL-PEG-PCL) demonstrates excellent inhibition of platelet adhesion and activation; while PCL-PEG-PCL modified hydrophilic PLGA surface (HPLGA-PCL-PEG-PCL) results in good cytocompatibility. The possible mechanism was discussed and the driven force was ascribed to the different assembly behavior of PCL-PEG-PCL on PLGA surface dependant on the hydrophilic/hydrophobic property of PLGA. This simple and effective surface engineering method is also suitable for the other biomaterials such as polyurethane (PU), silicon rubber and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) to obtain the enhanced biocompatibility.     

Triblock copolymer-mediated synthesis of catalytically active gold nanostructures

The design of nanostructures based on poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) and metal nanoparticles is becoming an important research topic due to their multiple functionalities in different fields, including nanomedicine and catalysis. In this work, water-soluble gold nanoparticles have been prepared through a green aqueous synthesis method using Pluronic F127 as both reducing and stabilizing agents. The size dependence (varying from 2 to 70 nm) and stability of gold nanoparticles were systematically studied by varying some parameters of synthesis, which were the polymer concentration, temperature, and exposure to UV-A light, being monitored by UV-Vis spectroscopy and TEM. Also, an elaborated study regarding to the kinetic of formation (nucleation and growth) was presented. Finally, the as-prepared Pluronic-capped gold nanoparticles have shown excellent catalytic activity towards the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol with sodium borohydride, in which a higher catalytic performance was exhibited when compared with gold nanoparticles prepared by classical reduction method using sodium citrate.

Open image in new window

Graphical abstract Synthesis of catalytically active gold nanostructures mediated by a pluronic triblock copolymer

     

Nanostructured Thermosetting Blends of Phenolic Thermosets and Poly(ethylene oxide)‐block‐poly(propylene oxide)‐block‐poly(ethylene oxide) Triblock Copolymer

The amphiphilic triblock copolymer, poly(ethylene oxide)‐block‐poly(propylene oxide)‐block‐poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO‐b‐PPO‐b‐PEO) was incorporated into novolac resin to prepare thermosetting blends. The morphology of the thermosetting blends was investigated by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and small‐angle x‐ray scattering (SAXS) and the nanostructures were obtained. It was identified that the reaction‐induced phase separation occurred in the blends of phenolic thermosets with the model poly(propylene oxide) (PPO), whereas poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was miscible with novolac resin after and before the curing reaction. In terms of miscibility and phase behavior of the subchains of the triblock copolymer with novolac resin, it was demonstrated that the formation of nanostructures in the thermosets followed a mechanism of reaction‐induced microphase separation.     

Effects of Poly(Propylene Oxide)–Poly(Ethylene Oxide)–Poly(Propylene Oxide) Triblock Copolymer on the Gelation of Poly(Ethylene Oxide)–Poly(Propylene Oxide)–Poly(Ethylene Oxide) Aqueous Solutions

Poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)–poly(ethylene oxide) ((EO)_n–(PO)_m–(EO)_n) block copolymers, commercially available as Pluronics (BASF Corp.) and Poloxamers (ICI Corp.), have been widely applied in medicine, biochemistry, and other fields because of their ability to form reversible micelles and physical gels in aqueous solution. Generally, for PEO–PPO–PEO block copolymers with higher ethylene oxide concentration, the micellization and gelation in aqueous solution are easier. However, if we introduce the reverse block copolymer PPO–PEO–PPO into PEO–PPO–PEO aqueous solutions, the micellization and gelation of the system will be more complex. In this work, the reverse block copolymer PO₁₄–EO₂₄–PO₁₄ (17R4) was added to the Pluronics EO₂₀–PO₇₀–EO₂₀ (P123), EO₁₀₀–PO₆₅–EO₁₀₀ (F127), and EO₁₃₃–PO₅₀–EO₁₃₃ (F108) aqueous solutions with different molar ratios. The rheological properties of different mixtures were measured to study the additive effect on the gelation behavior. The sol–gel transition temperature of the P123, F127, and F108 solutions shifted to a higher temperature when 17R4 was added to the solutions. In addition, the existence of 17R4 greatly affected the stability of gels. These results help to better understand the gelation of Pluronic aqueous solutions.     

Small angle neutron scattering study on the aggregation behaviour of PEO-PPO-PEO copolymers in the presence of a hydrophobic diol

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements on aqueous solutions of four polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide-polyethylene oxide block copolymers (commercially known as Pluronic®)F88, P85, F127 and P123 in the presence of hydrophobic C14Diol (also known as Surfynol® 104) reveal information on micellization, micellar size and micellar transitions. While most hydrophilic F88 (with least PPO/PEO ratio) remained unimers in water at 30°C, other copolymers formed micellar solutions. Surfynol® 104 is sparingly soluble in water to only about ～0.1 wt%, but on addition to pluronic solution, it gets incorporated in the micellar region of block copolymer which leads to increase in aggregation number and transformation of spherical to ellipsoidal micelles. The added diol-induced micellization in F88, though hydrophilic copolymers F88 and F127 did not show any appreciable micellar growth or shape changes as observed for P85 and P123 (which are comparatively more hydrophobic). The SANS results on copolymer pairs with same molecular weight PPO but different % PEO (viz. F88 and P85, F127 and P123) and with same molecular weight PEO but different PPO (F88 and F127) reveal that the copolymer with large PPO/PEO ratio facilitate micellar transition in the presence of diol. An increase in temperature and presence of added electrolyte (sodium chloride) in the solution further enhances these effects. The micellar parameters for these systems were found out using available software and are reported.     

Contrast variation SANS experiments to the study of detergent-induced micellization of block copolymers

PEO—PPO—PEO triblock copolymer P85 [(EO)₂₆(PO)₃₉(EO)₂₆] dissolves as unimers and detergent sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) forms micelles in aqueous solution at 20°C. The mixing of detergent with triblock copolymer induces the micellization of triblock copolymers. Contrast variation small-angle neutron scattering measurements show that triblock copolymer forms mixed micelles with detergent and the mixing of two components in the mixed micelles is uniform.     

Thermally switchable thin films of an ABC triblock copolymer of poly(n-butyl methacrylate)-poly(methyl methacrylate)-poly(2-fluoroethyl methacrylate)

The thermo-responsive behavior of polymer films consisting of novel linear triblock copolymers of poly(n-butyl methacrylate)-poly(methyl methacrylate)-poly(2-fluoroethyl methacrylate) (PnBuMA-PMMA-P2FEMA) are reported using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), atomic forcing microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contacting angle (CA) measurements. The surface morphology, wettability and chemical structure of thin films of these triblock copolymers on silicon wafers as a function of temperature have been investigated. It has been shown that the wettability of the films is thermally switchable. Detailed structural analysis shows that thermo-responsive surface composition changes are produced. The underlying mechanism of the thermoresponsive behavior is discussed.