Self-assembly of Asymmetric Dimer Particles in Supported Copolymer Bilayer

Using self-consistent field and density functional theories, we investigate the self-assembly behavior of asymmetric dimer particles in a supported AB block copolymer bilayer. Asym-metric dimer particles are amphiphilic molecules composed by two different spheres. One prefers to A block of copolymers and the other likes B block when they are introduced into the copolymer bilayer. The two layer structure of the dimer particles is formed within the bilayer. Due to the presence of the substrate surface, the symmetry of the two leaflets of the bilayer is broken, which may lead to two different layer structures of dimer particles within each leaflet of the bilayer. With the increasing concentration of the asymmetric dimer particles, in-plane structure of the dimer particles undergoes sparse square, hexagonal, dense square, and cylindrical structures. In a further condensed packing, a bending cylindrical structurecomes into being. Here we verify that the entropic effect of copolymers, the enthalpy of the system and the steric repulsion of the dimer particles are three important factors determing the self-assembly of dimer particles within the supported copolymer bilayer.     

两嵌段共聚物反相溶剂中组装结构转变动力学的模拟研究

利用耗散粒子动力学方法,分别研究了不同结构的组装体在改变溶剂的选择性后,在溶液及界面上的结构演变动力学.模拟结果表明,在改变溶剂的选择性后,大球形胶束在溶液中转变形成反向球形胶束,而在界面上则转变形成反向环状胶束,当前模拟结果与已有的实验结果一致.此外,模拟结果还预测出,在改变溶剂的选择性后,环状胶束在溶液中转变形成反向环状胶束,而在界面处受限形成反向的支化蠕虫状胶束;蠕虫状胶束则在溶液中转变形成反向环状胶束,而在界面处受限形成多层纳米球结构;囊泡在溶液中转变形成分散的小胶束聚集体,而在界面处受限形成球形的补丁纳米粒子.     

聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯接枝聚氧乙烯共聚物溶液性质的研究

采用核磁共振 (NMR)、动态激光光散射 (DLS)、透射电子显微镜 (TEM )等方法研究了规整性聚甲基丙烯酸甲酯接枝聚氧乙烯共聚物溶液性质 ,研究表明两亲接枝共聚物在选择性溶剂中可形成球状胶束 ,溶液的浓度、温度和聚合物结构等因素影响其胶束的大小、形态     

Self-assembly and micellization of amphiphilic rod-coil block oligomer at the mica-water interface

In this paper, in situ atomic force microscopy has been used to investigate the micellization and self-assembling structure of an amphiphilic rod-coil block oligomer (EO16OPV) containing a conjugated oligo(phenylene vinylene) dimer and poly(ethylene oxide) at the mica-water interface. It is found that EO16OPV molecules have strong adsorption and aggregation properties on mica. In the wide concentration range from above the critical micelle concentration (cmc) to far below the cmc, a closely packed layer of stripe-like micelles with two preferred orientations can be formed at the mica-water interface. A cylindrical micelle structure for the stripes is proposed. We demonstrate that the stripe-like micelles formed on mica originate from different micellization processes at solution concentrations above and below the cmc. The origins of the strong micellization properties and oriented arrangement of the stripes are also discussed.     

Macroscopic deformation of a substrate as a new method for controlling geometry and plasmon-resonant properties of highly ordered planar ensembles of metal nanoparticles

A new approach to creating highly ordered two-dimensional ensembles of nanoparticles with variable geometric parameters is proposed. It combines diblock copolymer micellar lithography and controlled deformation of a polymer substrate. The key feature of the approach is the formation of a monolayer of hexagonally packed metal precursor-containing micelles of an amphiphilic diblock copolymer on the surface of an isotropically stretched polymer plate. The average distance between micelle centers is 140 nm. Subsequent thermal treatment (or isotropic stretching) of the sample results in the shrinkage (or elongation) of the substrate, which enables one to vary the distance between micelle centers in a range of 80–200 nm while retaining hexagonal packing of the micelles in the monolayer. At the final stage, ensembles of hexagonally ordered gold nanoparticles are obtained by exposing the micellar films to air plasma. It is demonstrated that gold nanoparticles in these ensembles can be enlarged by seeded growth. The systematic study of the plasmon-resonant properties of the resulting ensembles shows that the gradual increase in the distance between 35-nm gold particles from 80 to 200 nm leads to an unexpected nonmonotonic shift of the maximum of localized surface plasmon resonance, which is, from our point of view, caused by the high degree of organization of nanoparticles on the substrate.     

Conventional synthesis of amphiphilic block copolymer utilized for polymeric micelle by mechanochemical solid-state polymerization

The first example is presented here of an amiphiphilic block copolymer synthesized by mechanochemical solid-state polymerization and used to form polymeric micelles. A model amphiphilic block copolymer was synthesized first, possessing galactose as a hydrophilic side chain and theophylline as a hydrophobic side chain, by mechanochemical solid-state polymerization. The resulting copolymer had a narrow molecular weight distribution. Polymeric micelle formation was subsequently carried out with the copolymer by a dialysis method. To gain insight into the physicochemical properties of the polymeric micelle, dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements were performed. A narrow distribution of diameters was observed in the polymeric micelle solution, and these micelles were disrupted by the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). It was also confirmed by DLS measurements that the polymeric micelles were spherical. These results suggested that the block copolymer synthesized by mechanochemical solid-state polymerization was as suitable for the preparation of polymeric micelles as materials obtained by living polymerization.     

Non-surface activity and micellization of ionic amphiphilic diblock copolymers in water. Hydrophobic chain length dependence and salt effect on surface activity and the critical micelle concentration

We reported previously (Macromolecules 2003, 36, 5321; Langmuir, 2004, 20, 7412) that amphiphilic diblock copolymers having polyelectrolytes as a hydrophilic segment show almost no surface activity but form micelles in water. In this study, to further investigate this curious and novel phenomenon in surface and interface science, we synthesized another water-soluble ionic amphiphilic diblock copolymer poly(hydrogenated isoprene)-b-sodium poly(styrenesulfonate) PIp-h2-b-PSSNa by living anionic polymerization. Several diblock copolymers with different hydrophobic chain lengths were synthesized and the adsorption behavior at the air/water interface was investigated using surface tension measurement and X-ray reflectivity. A dye-solubilization experiment was carried out to detect the micelle formation. We found that the polymers used in this study also formed micelles above a certain polymer concentration (cmc) without adsorption at the air-water interface under a no-salt condition. Hence, we further confirmed that this phenomenon is universal for amphiphilic ionic block copolymer although it is hard to believe from current surface and interface science. For polymers with long hydrophobic chains (more than three times in length to hydrophilic chain), and at a high salt concentration, a slight adsorption of polymer was observed at the air-water interface. Long hydrophobic chain polymers showed behavior "normal" for low molecular weight ionic surfactants with increasing salt concentration. Hence, the origin of this curious phenomenon might be the macroionic nature of the hydrophilic part. Dynamic light scattering analysis revealed that the hydrodynamic radius of the block copolymer micelle was not largely affected by the addition of salt. The hydrophobic chain length-cmc relationship was found to be unusual; some kind of transition point was found. Furthermore, very interestingly, the cmc of the block copolymer did not decrease with the increase in salt concentration, which is in clear contrast to the fact that cmc of usual ionic small surfactants decreases with increasing salt concentration (Corrin-Harkins law). These behaviors are thought to be the special, but universal, characteristics of ionic amphiphilic diblock copolymers, and the key factor is thought to be a balance between the repulsive force from the water surface by the image charge effect and the hydrophobic adsorption.     

Reversible pH-triggered encapsulation and release of pyrene by adsorbed block copolymer micelles

The well-established ability of copolymer micelles to encapsulate and release hydrophobic molecules has been investigated following their adsorption onto silica particles. Here, a pH-responsive copolymer, poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)- b-poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMA(106)- b-PDEA(25)), has been used to study the formation and dissociation of adsorbed micelles through pH variation. This copolymer behaves as free unimers in aqueous solutions below pH 8 and forms micelles 29 nm in hydrodynamic diameter above this pH. Encapsulation and release of a model hydrophobic compound (pyrene) by in situ adjustment of the solution pH has been compared for both free and adsorbed micelles using fluorescence spectrophotometry, epifluorescence microscopy, and zeta potential measurements. At basic pH values, pyrene is solubilized within the cores of micelles adsorbed on silica particles: addition of acid leads to micelle dissociation and release of the pyrene into the bulk aqueous solution. Micelle adsorption does not appear to hinder the extent of pyrene uptake/release. Moreover, this pH-responsive behavior is both reversible and reproducible over multiple pH cycles.     

Micellization and reversible pH-sensitive phase transfer of the hyperbranched multiarm PEI-PBLG Copolymer

A novel, hyperbranched, amphiphilic multiarm biodegradable polyethylenimine-poly(gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate) (PEI-PBLG) copolymer was prepared by the ring-opening polymerization of gamma-benzyl-L-glutamate-N-carboxyanhydride (BLG-NCA) with hyperbranched PEI as a macroinitiator. The copolymer could self-assemble into core-shell micelles in aqueous solution with highly hydrophobic micelle cores. As the PBLG content was increased, the size of the micelles increased and the critical micelle concentration (CMC) decreased. The surface of the micelles had a positive zeta potential. The cationic micelles were capable of complexing with plasmid DNA (pDNA), which could be released subsequently by treatment with polyanions. The PEI-PBLG copolymer formed unimolecular micelles in chloroform solution. The pH-sensitive phase-transfer behavior exhibited two critical pH points for triggering the encapsulation and release of guest molecules. Both the encapsulation and release processes were rapid and reversible. Under strong acidic or alkaline conditions, the release process became partially or completely irreversible. Thus, this copolymer system should be an attractive candidate for a gene- or drug-delivery system in aqueous media and could provide the phase-transfer carriers between water and organic media.     

In-situ polymerization at the interfaces of micelles: a "grafting from" method to prepare micelles with mixed coronal chains

Herein we describe a new strategy for producing micelles with mixed coronal chains. This method involves attachment of an atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) initiator at the interface of a micelle and preparation of poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) brushes at the interface by a "grafting from" method. Poly(ethylene glycol)- block-polystyrene (PEG- b-PS) diblock copolymer was achieved by ATRP. After the sulfonation reaction PS blocks were partly sulfonated. In aqueous solution at low pH the sulfonated block copolymer self-assembled into micelles with PS cores and PEG coronae and sodium 4-styrenesulfonate groups were distributed at the interfaces of the micelles. An ATRP initiator consisting of a quaternary ammonium salt moiety and a 2-bromo-2-methyl propionate moiety was ion exchanged onto the interface of the micelle. ATRP of DMAEMA was initiated at the interface, and micelles with PEG/PDMAEMA mixed coronal chains were prepared by ATRP. The structures of the micelles were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and zeta potential measurements. The size and morphology of the micelles were controlled by pH in aqueous solution. At high pH, PDMAEMA brushes collapse, forming nanodomains on the surface of the micelles. PDMAEMA brushes in the coronae of the micelles could be used as a template for preparation of gold nanoparticles.     

Dependence of size and morphology on shear flow for PS-based amphiphilic block copolymer micelles in aqueous solution

This contribution focuses on the impact of shear flow on size and nanostructure of PS-based amphiphilic block copolymer (BC) micelles by varying the stirring rate and copolymer composition.The results show that the vesicles formed from diblock copolymer (di-BC) of PS-b-PAA remain with vesicular morphology,although the average size decreases,with the increase of stirring rate.However,the multi-compartment micelles (MCMs) formed from tri-block copolymer (tri-BC) of PS-b-P2VP-b-PEO are quite intricate,in which the copolymer first self-assembles into spheres,then to clusters,to large compound micelles (LCMs),and finally back to spheres,as stirring rate increases from 100 r/min to 2200 r/min.Formation mechanism studies manifest that vesicles form simultaneously as water is added to the di-BC solution,termed as direct-assembly,and remain with vesicular structure in the flowing process.While for the PS-b-P2VP-b-PEO copolymer,spherical micelles at initial stage can further assemble into clusters and LCMs,termed as second-assembly,due to the speeding-up-aggregation of the favorable stirring.As a result,an invert V-relationship between tri-BC micelle dimension and stirring rate is observed in contrast to the non-linear decreasing curve of di-BC vesicles.It is by investigating these various amphiphilic BCs that the understanding of shear dependence of size and morphology of micelles is improved from self-assembly to second-assembly process.     

基于有机硅组分交联稳定纳米胶束的研究进展

综述了基于有机硅组分交联稳定纳米胶束的研究进展,对制备方法和交联区域的选择以及应用领域的研究进行了较为详细的阐述.指出将有机硅引入双亲性高分子链中,利用有机硅部分的溶胶-凝胶转变对双亲高分子胶束的具体区域进行交联,能够使其胶束结构固定下来并形成杂化材料,在提高高分子胶束稳定性的同时又赋予其无机材料的刚性、低生理毒性、便于纯化等优点,为双亲性高分子的制备以及药物的运载、控制释放等带来极大的帮助.     

温敏性含氟两亲接枝共聚物的制备及胶束化行为

以聚乙二醇单甲醚甲基丙烯酸酯(MPEGMA)为大分子单体, 甲基丙烯酸六氟丁酯(HFMA)为含氟单体, N-异丙基丙烯酰胺(NIPAAm)为功能性单体, 采用大分子单体接枝共聚法, 制备了一种温敏性含氟两亲接枝共聚物P(NIPAAm-co-HFMA)-g-PEG. 利用FTIR, ¹H NMR, ¹⁹F NMR和GPC对共聚物的结构进行表征; 采用紫外-可见分光光度计测定了共聚物的低临界溶解温度(LCST)约为38.9 ℃, 高于人体正常的生理温度; 利用荧光探针技术测定了共聚物的临界胶束浓度(cmc), 结果表明, 当共聚物溶液温度高于LCST时, 其cmc明显变小; 利用激光光散射粒度仪(LLS)测定了共聚物胶束的水合粒径及其分布, 当温度达到LCST时, 胶束粒径明显变小, 温度过高时, 粒径又有所增大; 利用透射电子显微镜(TEM)研究了共聚物胶束的形貌, 结果表明, P(NIPAAm-co-HFMA)-g-PEG在水溶液中可自组装成球状胶束粒子, 随着温度的升高, 共聚物胶束由松散的核壳结构转变成更加紧凑的球状结构, 且粒径明显变小.     

Characterization of novel pH-sensitive polymeric micelles prepared by the self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymer with poly-4-vinylpyridine block synthesized by mechanochemical solid-state polymerization

We fabricated novel pH-sensitive polymeric micelles consisting of amphiphilic block copolymer containing pyridyl groups as side chains in the hydrophobic block. The number average particle diameter of the polymeric micelles at pH 7 was approximately 200 nm. A decrease in pH resulted in deformation of the polymeric micelles over a very narrow pH range (between pH 5.7 and 5.6). Interestingly, micellization and demicellization occurred reversibly in this narrow pH range. Polymeric micelles incorporating 5-fluorouracil (5FU) were also prepared. Decreasing the pH of this polymeric micelle solution from 7 to 5.5 resulted in the rapid release of 5FU at pH 5.6; the drug was completely released within 30 min. These results suggest that deformation of the polymeric micelles caused the rapid release of 5FU.     

Micellar shape change and internal segregation induced by chemical modification of a tryptych block copolymer surfactant

We report the detailed characterization of micelles formed by two nonionic, amphiphilic ABC triblock copolymers. Poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(styrene)-b-1,2-poly(butadiene) (PEO-b-PS-b-PB) triblock copolymer "OSB" forms core-corona spherical micelles in aqueous solution, and the two hydrophobic blocks S and B are mixed homogeneously within the micelle core. PEO-b-PS-b-PB:C6F13I triblock copolymer "OSF" was prepared by selective fluorination of the B block in OSB with n-perfluorohexyl iodide. Fluorination of the B block induces internal segregation into an inner F core and an intermediate S shell. Furthermore, the strong incompatibility that results from fluorination drives a shape change into an oblate ellipsoid. These micellar morphologies are confirmed by combined light, neutron, and X-ray scattering measurements, as well as TEM imaging.     

Effects of SDS on the thermo- and pH-sensitive structural changes of the poly(acrylic acid)-based copolymer containing both poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol) grafts in water

The effects of SDS on the structural changes of the thermally induced polymeric micelles from a graft copolymer comprising poly(acrylic acid) (PAAc) as the backbone and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) and monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG) as the grafts in aqueous solution are studied. At low temperature, SDS micelles form via the hydrophobic association of SDS molecules with the PNIPAAm grafts at a critical aggregation concentration of SDS (cac(SDS)) much lower than its critical micelle concentration. Consequently, the critical aggregation temperature of the graft copolymer is elevated. The corresponding structure of the thermally induced polymeric micelles is characterized by an abrupt reduction in the particle size and an increased tendency toward formation of the monocore structure with a more compact and hydrophobic PNIPAAm microdomain being developed. On the other hand, upon the polymeric micelle formation at high temperature, the copolymer-bound SDS micelle structure is disrupted and the dissociated SDS molecules migrate to the core-shell interface with their alkyl chains residing in the liquidlike region of the hydrophobic PNIPAAm microdomain. The correlation between the polymeric particles and copolymer-bound micelles is further substantiated by showing the change of the colloidal particle size in response to changes in cac(SDS) via adjusting the pH of the aqueous copolymer/SDS solutions.     

共溶剂性质对双亲性无规共聚物P(St-co-DM)胶束化行为及其性能的影响

以苯乙烯(St)和甲基丙烯酸二甲氨乙酯(DMAEMA)为共聚单体, 通过普通自由基溶液聚合合成了双亲性无规共聚物P(St-co-DM). 用傅里叶变换红外(FTIR)光谱、核磁共振氢谱(¹H NMR)、凝胶渗透色谱(GPC)和差示扫描量热(DSC)仪对聚合物结构进行表征. 研究了共溶剂的性质对P(St-co-DM)自组装胶束结构及其乳化性能的影响. 用透射电镜(TEM)和动态激光光散射(DLS)表征了自组装胶体粒子的形态、粒径大小及其分布. 通过测量胶束在甲苯/水界面的接触角表征胶束表面性能. 结果表明: P(St-co-DM)以四氢呋喃(THF)为共溶剂自组装时, 胶束的临界聚集水含量较大, 胶束表面亲水性较强, 流体力学半径较大; 用二氧六环或THF为共溶剂, 水为选择性溶剂, P(St-co-DM)自组装可以得到外层松散、内层比较密实的球状胶束, 用N,N-二甲基甲酰胺(DMF)为共溶剂时, 胶束整体呈现比较密实的球状胶束; 分别用DMF、二氧六环和THF为共溶剂制备的胶束, 其接触角均值都小于90°, 可形成O/W型(水包油型)乳液. 乳化实验结果表明, 以二氧六环和THF为共溶剂制备的胶束作为颗粒乳化剂制备的乳液性能较好.     

多分散性对两亲性两嵌段共聚物在选择性溶剂中自组装行为影响的Monte Carlo模拟

采用Monte Carlo模拟方法研究了多分散性AB两亲性两嵌段共聚物在选择性溶剂中的自组装行为.模拟结果表明,嵌段共聚物的多分散性对体系在选择性溶剂中自组装所形成的胶束形貌结构有很大影响.当AB两嵌段共聚物的多分散系数由1.0增加至1.4时,体系中自组装所形成的胶束将会发生由囊泡到片层直至球状的一系列形态转变.通过统...     

Solvent property induced morphological changes of ABA amphiphilic triblock copolymer micelles in dilute solution: A self-consistent field simulation study

The morphological changes of ABA amphiphilic triblock copolymer micelles in dilute solution were systematically studied by tuning the solvent property using self-consistent field simulation. The solvent property was tuned by changing the Flory-Huggins interaction parameters between each type of blocks and solvent, respectively. The simulation results show that by changing the solvent properties, a series of micelle morphologies such as vesicle, cage-like, ring-shaped, rod-like and spherical micelle morphologies can be obtained. Variations of the free energy of the solution system and the surface area of micelles with the Flory-Huggins interaction parameters were calculated to better understand the effect of solvent property on micelle morphologies. In addition, a phase diagram showing the morphological changes of micelles with the Flory-Huggins interaction parameters is provided.     

Association behavior of fluorine-containing and non-fluorine-containing methacrylate-based amphiphilic diblock copolymer in aqueous media

Fluorine-containing amphiphilic block copolymers, poly(sodium methacrylate)-block-poly(nonafluorohexyl methacrylate) (NaMAm-b-NFHMAn) (m:n = 61:12, 72:33, 64:57), and the corresponding non-fluorine-containing amphiphilic block copolymer, poly(sodium methacrylate)-block-poly(hexyl methacrylate) (NaMAm-b-HMAn) (m:n = 64:10, 69:37, 67:50), were synthesized. Both polyNaMA-b-polyNFHMA and polyNaMA-b-polyHMA formed micelles above critical micelle concentrations, (cmc's), around 3 x 10(-5) to 1 x 10(-4) mol/L, while neither polymer decreased surface tension of aqueous solutions. The size and shape of the micelles were examined by dynamic light scattering, small-angle neutron scattering, and small-angle X-ray scattering. PolyNaMA-b-polyHMA appeared to form only spherical micelles, while polyNaMA-b-polyNFHMA with a long NFHMA segment formed both spherical and rodlike micelles. The micelles of fluorine-containing block copolymers were obviously larger than those of non-fluorine-containing block copolymers with the same chain length and the same hydrophilic/hydrophobic chain ratio. The fluorine-containing block copolymer selectively solubilized fluorinated dye into the water phase when a mixture of decafluorobiphenyl and 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene was added to the micelle solution.