Living radical polymerization of vinyl chloride initiated with iodoform and catalyzed by nascent Cu0/tris(2‐aminoethyl)amine or polyethyleneimine in water at 25 °C proceeds by a new competing pathways mechanism

The first example of living radical polymerization of vinyl chloride carried out in water at 25 °C is reported. This polymerization was initiated by iodoform and catalyzed by nascent Cu⁰ produced by the disproportionation of Cu^I in the presence of strongly Cu^II binding ligands such as tris(2‐aminoethyl)amine or polyethyleneimine. The resulting poly(vinyl chloride) was free of structural defects, had controlled molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution, contained two ～CHClI active chain ends, and had a higher syndiotacticity (62%) than the one obtained by conventional free‐radical polymerization at the same temperature (56%). This novel polymerization proceeds, most probably, by a combination of competitive pathways that involves activation by single electron transfer mediated by nascent Cu⁰ and degenerative chain transfer. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 3283–3299, 2003     

An efficient synthetic-route to prepare [2,3,6-tri-O-(2-bromo-2-methylpropionyl]-β-cyclodextrin)

The efficient approach for the synthesis of [2,3,6-tri-O-(2-bromo-2-methylpropionyl]-β-cyclodextrin) (21Br-β-CD) is described. The reaction between 2-bromoisobutyric bromide and β-cyclodextrin was performed directly in 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidione solvent, leading to much less complicated procedures and higher yield (up to 89.5%) compared with those reported previously (17% yield). The product is an extremely useful initiator in synthesizing star polymers with well-defined structures using atom transfer radical polymerization for biomedical applications.     

Thermally enhanced photoinduced in‐plane reorientation in photo‐cross‐linkable polymer liquid crystalline films and its application to linear polarizer

Thermally enhanced photoinduced in‐plane molecular reorientation in new photo‐cross‐linkable polymer liquid crystalline (PPLC) films comprising 4‐[ω‐(4‐methoxycinnamoyloxy)alkyloxy]biphenyl side groups is explored using linearly polarized ultraviolet (LPUV) light exposure and subsequent annealing. The influence of the alkylene spacer length between the photo‐cross‐linkable group and the biphenyl mesogenic moiety is investigated. The straight‐line characteristics of the photoreactive mesogenic side group and the 4‐methoxycinnamoyl group play important roles in the high photoreactivity and the large thermally enhanced molecular reorientation, where the in‐plane order and the birefringence of the reoriented film are 0.61 and 0.18 are obtained. Finally, cooperative molecular reorientation of dichroic dyes doped in PPLC films is also achieved to fabricate a linear polarizer. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 4712–4718, 2008     

One‐ and two‐photon activity of cross‐conjugated photoinitiators with bathochromic shift

Intrigued by the good performance of 1,5‐diphenylpenta‐1,4‐diyn‐3‐one ( DPD ) as photoinitiator for radical polymerization we prepared and investigated several donor substituted derivatives. UV‐Vis spectroscopy revealed a gradual red‐shift of λ_max and higher extinction in the order of the donor capability. A methoxy‐substituted derivative ( O‐DPD ) exhibited significant photoinitiation activity in photo‐DSC experiments. Steady state photolysis experiments showed decreased decomposition rates with increasing donor capability. A dimethylamino derivative N‐DPD was even photostable under these conditions. Because of to the D‐π‐A‐π‐D system of these compounds two‐photon induced 3D photopolymerization experiments were performed and N‐DPD showed outstanding performance compared to often applied single photon initiators. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3280–3291, 2007     

4He and soft-core radial function

The suitability of a soft-core radial wave function in⁴He calculations is tested by computing the charge form factor of the alpha particle. The free parameter in the radial function is fixed in a photo-disintegration calculation. The results show that the soft-core function is suitable and the ground state of⁴He may be described reasonably well if a suitable potential model is used with it.     

Biocompatible Micelles Based on Comb‐like PEG Derivates: Formation,Characterization, and Photo‐responsiveness

A novel comb‐like derivative CPEG‐g‐DNQ was prepared by incorporating light responsive 2‐diazo‐1,2‐naphthoquinone (DNQ) groups into the structure of comb‐like poly(ethylene glycol) (CPEG). DLS and TEM results showed that CPEG‐g‐DNQ self‐assembled into spherical micelles with an average size of about 135 nm in water. Upon exposure to light, the micelles could be disrupted because of the conversion of hydrophobic DNQ to hydrophilic 3‐indenecarboylic acid. Additionally, hydrophobic coumarin 102 was successfully loaded into the micelles and photo‐induced ON‐OFF release was demonstrated by fluorescence spectroscopy. MTT assay revealed that the micelles are biocompatible. These photo‐responsive micelles might have great potential for controlled release of hydrophobic drugs.

     

Photo‐controlled Hierarchical Assembly and Fusion of Coumarin‐containing Polydiacetylene Vesicles

Herein, we synthesize a coumarin‐substituted diacetylene monomer (CODA) and report the novel photo‐controlled reversible assembly and disassembly behavior of the polymerized CODA (PCODA) vesicles. The photo‐triggered dimerization and cleavage reactions of the coumarin groups within the surface of the adjacent PCODA vesicles can be utilized as the driving force to induce assembly and disassembly of PCODA vesicles. Moreover, the boundary of PCODA vesicles in the aggregates becomes more obscure when the irradiation time exceeds 30 min. Fusion occurs upon close docking of target membranes, driven by sufficient dimerization of the coumarin groups within the surface of PCODA vesicles.     

Injectable poloxamer/graphene oxide hydrogels with well‐controlled mechanical and rheological properties

Although significant progress has been made in the design and application of injectable hydrogels for biomedical applications, concurrent control of rheological and mechanical properties of injectable hydrogels has remained as an open challenge to the researchers. In this work, we introduce and put into practice a photo‐curable poloxamer (also known as Pluronic)/graphene oxide (Plu/GO) injectable hydrogel with well‐controlled rheological and mechanical properties. Acrylate group was anchored to hydrogel structure to endow photo‐crosslinking ability through decelerating degradation rate of poloxamer hydrogels after injection. It was found that the modified Plu remains stable in biological media for a long‐term period without significant weight loss. Rheological properties of hydrogels were also carried out as essential prerequisite for an ideal injectability via frequency sweep, flow curve, recovery, and yield stress before and after modification, signifying shear‐thinning behavior of Plu/GO hydrogels with high recoverability. The viscosity of shear‐thinning‐like hydrogels dropped at higher shear stress, which facilitated injection process. Moreover, mechanical behavior of Plu was optimized by manipulating the content of Plu, degree of modification with reactive precursor, curing, and particularly incorporation of GO without deteriorating effects on rheological behavior of Plu.     

Modulation of Foreign Body Reaction against PDMS Implant by Grafting Topographically Different Poly(acrylic acid) Micropatterns

The surface of poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) is grafted with poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) layers via surface‐initiated photopolymerization to suppress the capsular contracture resulting from a foreign body reaction. Owing to the nature of photo‐induced polymerization, various PAA micropatterns can be fabricated using photolithography. Hole and stripe micropatterns ≈100‐µm wide and 3‐µm thick are grafted onto the PDMS surface without delamination. The incorporation of PAA micropatterns provides not only chemical cues by hydrophilic PAA microdomains but also topographical cues by hole or stripe micropatterns. In vitro studies reveal that a PAA‐grafted PDMS surface has a lower proliferation of both macrophages (Raw 264.7) and fibroblasts (NIH 3T3) regardless of the pattern presence. However, PDMS with PAA micropatterns, especially stripe micropatterns, minimizes the aggregation of fibroblasts and their subsequent differentiation into myofibroblasts. An in vivo study also shows that PDMS samples with stripe micropatterns polarized macrophages into anti‐inflammatory M2 macrophages and most effectively inhibits capsular contracture, which is demonstrated by investigation of inflammation score, transforming‐growth‐factor‐β expression, number of macrophages, and myofibroblasts as well as the collagen density and capsule thickness.