Novel Amphiphilic Block Copolymers for the Formation of Stimuli-Responsive Non-Lamellar Lipid Nanoparticles

Non-lamellar lyotropic liquid crystalline (LLC) lipid nanoparticles contain internal multidimensional nanostructures such as the inverse bicontinuous cubic and the inverse hexagonal mesophases, which can respond to external stimuli and have the potential of controlling drug release. To date, the internal LLC mesophase responsiveness of these lipid nanoparticles is largely achieved by adding ionizable small molecules to the parent lipid such as monoolein (MO), the mixture of which is then dispersed into nanoparticle suspensions by commercially available poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(propylene oxide) block copolymers. In this study, the Reversible Addition-Fragmentation chain Transfer (RAFT) technique was used to synthesize a series of novel amphiphilic block copolymers (ABCs) containing a hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) block, a hydrophobic block and one or two responsive blocks, i.e., poly(4-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)benzyl acrylate) (PTBA) and/or poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA). High throughput small angle X-ray scattering studies demonstrated that the synthesized ABCs could simultaneously stabilize a range of LLC MO nanoparticles (vesicles, cubosomes, hexosomes, inverse micelles) and provide internal particle nanostructure responsiveness to changes of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) concentrations, pH and temperature. It was found that the novel functional ABCs can substitute for the commercial polymer stabilizer and the ionizable additive in the formation of next generation non-lamellar lipid nanoparticles. These novel formulations have the potential to control drug release in the tumor microenvironment with endogenous H₂O₂ and acidic pH conditions.     

ABC三嵌段共聚物胶束从多间隔结构到多核结构转变的Monte Carlo模拟

采用Monte Carlo模拟方法研究了疏水-亲水-疏水(H-P-H)型ABC三嵌段共聚物在B嵌段的选择性溶剂中的自组装行为. 模拟结果表明, 通过调节A嵌段和C嵌段的疏水性和二者之间的不相容性, 体系中可以形成多种形貌各异的胶束. 根据胶束中疏水核结构的特点, 这些胶束大体上可以被分为多核型胶束和多间隔型胶束两种类型. 通过增强疏水嵌段的疏水性或降低A嵌段和C嵌段间的不相容性, H-P-H型ABC三嵌段共聚物胶束能够发生从多核型胶束向多间隔型胶束的转变. 进一步分析胶束中聚合物的链构象等微观结构信息发现, A嵌段和C嵌段间的排斥作用和疏水作用之间存在竞争关系, 而这种竞争关系是影响体系中形成多核型胶束还是多间隔型胶束的决定性因素.     

桥连对嵌段共聚物自组装的调控

通过嵌段共聚物自组装形成“桥连”是制备具有优异力学性能的网络结构的有效途经, 具有重要的应用价值. 但是, 过去的研究工作很少讨论“桥连”对嵌段共聚物自组装行为本身的影响. 该研究评论主要总结了最近几年利用“桥连”对嵌段自组装行为进行调控的工作进展. 作者设计了BABCB三组分线性多嵌段共聚物, 当其自组装形成二元“介观晶体”(球、柱)结构时, 中间B嵌段连接A和C相区(嵌段聚集成的“大原子”), 自然地形成桥连; 减小中间桥连B嵌段的相对长度, 就可以增加其拉伸程度, 从而降低介观晶体的配位数; 另外, 两个末端B嵌段的相对长度可以直接调控A和C“大原子”之间的相对配位数. 基于这两个机理, 自洽场理论计算预测了各种配位数相等和不相等的二元介观晶体结构. 进一步, 将“拉伸桥连”概念拓展到AB型嵌段共聚物体系中, 并且通过多臂星型嵌段共聚物分子结构中的“组合构型熵效应”在AB型嵌段共聚物中形成高比率的桥连构型, 使传统的六角柱状结构转变为了四配位的四方柱状和三配位的石墨烯类柱状结构. 未来, 在ABC三组分嵌段共聚物体系的设计中引入拓扑结构以及使用共混等方法, 有望在介观尺度重铸大多数已知的原子/离子二元晶体结构, 甚至超越原子/离子晶体结构.     

Nontriviality of the first Hochschild cohomology of some block algebras of finite groups

We show that for some finite group block algebras, with nontrivial defect groups, the first Hochschild cohomology is nontrivial. Along the way we obtain methods to investigate the nontriviality of the first Hochschild cohomology of some twisted group algebras.     

Large amplitude oscillatory shear behavior of PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymer solutions

Rheological properties of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) triblock copolymer solution in both linear and nonlinear regions have been investigated. PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymer solution shows a dramatic change in mechanical properties as temperature changes. PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymer undergoes a transition from sol to gel with increase of temperature. During this transition the copolymer solution passes through three different stages, namely sol, soft gel, and hard gel. In our previous research (Hyun et al. in J Non-Newtonian Fluid Mech 55:51–65, 2002), large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS) behavior was found to be very sensitive to the generated microstructures. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the LAOS type and the microdomain structure. Newtonian behavior is observed in sol region, while there appear two kinds of LAOS types in the soft gel region. One is type I (G′, G′′ decreasing) and the other is a combination of type I and type IV (G′, G′′ increasing followed by decreasing). Type III (G′ decreasing, G′′ increasing followed by decreasing) is observed in the hard gel region. We compared the shape of stress curves, Lissajous pattern, and Fourier transform (FT) rheology of hard gel and soft gel under LAOS, and tried to relate the complex LAOS behavior with the microstructural change. From these investigations, it was found that the LAOS behavior and the stress pattern at large strain are closely related to the microdomain structure of PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymer, and provide a lot of useful information on the microstructures induced by large deformation.     

Directed Self‐Assembly of Diblock Copolymer Thin Films on Prepatterned Metal Nanoarrays

The sequential layer by layer self‐assembly of block copolymer (BCP) nanopatterns is an effective approach to construct 3D nanostructures. Here large‐scale highly ordered metal nano­arrays prepared from solvent annealed thin films of polystyrene‐block‐poly(2‐vinylpyridine) (PS‐b‐P2VP) diblock copolymer are used to direct the assembly of the same BCP. The influence of initial loading concentration of metal precursor, the type of metal nanoparticle (gold, platinum, and silver), and the nanoparticle–substrate interaction on the directed assembly behavior of the upper BCP layer have been focused. It is found that the upper BCP film can be completely directed by the gold nanoarray with P2VP domain exclusively located between two adjacent gold nanowires or nanodots, which behaves the same way as on the platinum nanoarray. While the silver nanoarray can be destroyed during the upper BCP self‐assembly with the silver nanoparticles assembled into the P2VP domain. Based on the discussions of the surface energy of nanoparticles and the interplay between nanoparticle–substrate interaction and nanoparticle–polymer interaction, it is concluded that the effect of immobilization of nanoparticles on the substrate, together with entropy effect to minimize the energetically unfavorable chain stretching contributes to the most effective alignment between each layer.

     

Co-continuity interval in immiscible polymer blends by dynamic mechanical spectroscopy in the molten and solid state

The work focuses on the detection of the co-continuity window in immiscible polymer blends. The purpose of the paper is to describe how rheological techniques can help to evaluate the composition range of the co-continuous morphology through the study of a particular system: PEO/PVDF-HFP. First, the blends were characterized by selective dissolution experiments and SEM observations. Then the ability of dynamic mechanical spectroscopy to detect the co-continuity was investigated in the melt and in the solid state. The evolution of the storage modulus of molten blends with their composition at a constant low frequency gives information about the co-continuity interval, especially as far as the onset of the continuity of the PEO phase is concerned. Then the immiscibility of the polymers and the continuity of PVDF-HFP as a function of blend composition have been highlighted by means of dynamic mechanical spectrometry below the melting point of PVDF-HFP. Comparison with results from classical methods shows fair agreement.This paper was presented at the first Annual European Rheology Conference (AERC) held in Guimarães, Portugal, September 11-13, 2003.     

Rheological determination of polymer-filler affinity

An experimental method to quantify the affinity of polymers for certain fillers is presented. In this method, the relative viscosity of filled and unfilled polymer systems as determined by capillary rheometry is taken as a measure of the thickness of the adsorbed layer of polymeric material on the filler surface and hence of the affinity of the polymer for the filler. A styrene-butadienestyrene block copolymer is thus found to have a higher affinity for talc than do polypropylene and an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer.     

Human Calcitonin Delivered Orally by Means of Nanoparticles Composed of Novel Graft Copolymers

Abstract

The ability of nanoparticles having surface hydrophilic polymeric chains to enhance the oral absorption of human calcitonin was examined in rats. The oral relative bioavailability of calcitonin against its subcutaneous administration was 0.01% without nanoparticles, but increased significantly when it was administered with nanoparticles. Nanoparticles having cationic poly(vinylamine) (PVAm) chains on their surfaces had a relatively stronger enhancing effect than did other nanoparticles. When divinylbenzene was added to the nanoparticle preparation, PVAm nanoparticles with a crosslinked hydrophobic polystyrene core were synthesized. The addition of divinylbenzene resulted in nanoparticles with larger zeta potential through the efficient accumulation of hydrophilic PVAm chains on their surfaces; however, inadequate amounts decreased the zeta potential. Changes in the bioavailability proportional to the zeta potential indicated that the cationic moiety is indispensable for inducing the significant enhancement of calcitonin absorption. The chemical structure of nanoparticles could be optimized by introducing nonionic poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) or anionic poly(methacrylic acid) chains onto the PVAm nanoparticle surface to effectively further improve the absorption‐enhancing function of PVAm nanoparticles. Finally, the maximum bioavailability of 1.1% was achieved after oral administration of calcitonin with PVAm–PNIPAAm nanoparticles whose components, VAm macromonomer, N‐isopropylacrylamine (NIPAAm) macromonomer, and styrene were copolymerized in the molar ratio of 1.5:0.5:10.