This paper reports the use of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS)‐based copolymers to stabilize the core/shell interface for the facile fabrication of electrospun core/shell fibers. For the poly[(propylmethacryl‐heptaisobutyl‐polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane)‐co‐(methyl methacrylate)] (POSS‐MMA)/poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) system, the bicontinuity of hybrid core/shell fibers can be tuned by controlling the phase separation of POSS‐MMA/PCL in electrospinning solutions and therefore the size of PCL‐in‐POSS‐MMA emulsion droplets. Our results demonstrate the enhanced encapsulation capacity of POSS‐MMA copolymers as shell materials. Taking advantage of the rapid advancement of POSS‐based copolymer synthesis, this study can potentially be generalized to guide the fabrication of various other POSS‐based core/shell nano‐/microstructures by using single‐nozzle electrospinning or coaxial electrospinning.
To enhance the limited degradability of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), a straightforward method of synthesizing poly[(ethylene glycol)‐co‐(glycolic acid)] (P(EG‐co‐GA)) via a ruthenium‐catalyzed, post‐polymerization oxyfunctionalization of various PEGs is developed. Using this method, a set of copolymers with GA compositions of up to 8 mol% are prepared with minimal reduction in molecular weight (<10%) when compared to their commercially available starting materials. The P(EG‐co‐GA) copolymers are shown to undergo hydrolysis under mild conditions.
In this article, well‐defined cyclic amphiphilic random copolymers bearing azobenzene side chains and pendent carboxyl moieties, cyclic‐P(BHMEm‐co‐AAn)s, are synthesized by combining atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) with Cu(I)‐catalyzed azide/alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) “click” reaction and selective hydrolysis of tert‐butyl ester. Successful synthesis of the cyclic‐P(BHMEm‐co‐AAn)s is fully characterized and verified via conventional gel permeation chromatography, triple detection gel permeation chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, and matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization–time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry. The cyclic topology induces profound effects on the glass transition temperatures, self‐assembly behavior, and photoresponsive performance of the copolymers compared with their linear counterparts.
Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐block‐poly(l ‐lactic acid)‐block‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAM‐b‐PLLA‐b‐PNIPAAM) and PNIPAAM‐b‐PDLA‐b‐PNIPAAM triblock copolymers with varying polylactic acid (PLA) lengths are synthesized using a combination of ring‐opening polymerization and atom‐transfer radical polymerization. Results of 1H NMR and gel permeation chromatography analyses show that the copolymers have a well‐defined triblock structure and the PLA segment lengths can be readily controlled with monomer feed ratio. Stereocomplexation between the enantiomeric PLA segments is confirmed with differential scanning calorimetry and wide‐angle X‐ray scattering. Dynamic light scattering experiments show that (1) the LCST of PNIPAAM in water could be tailored from 32 °C up to 38.5 °C by increasing the length of PLA segments and mixing copolymers of similar molecular weight with enantiomeric PLA segments to induce stereocomplexation, and (2) the LCST of each mixed copolymer system could be tailored within a 2–3 °C range of body temperature by manipulating the ratio of the enantiomeric copolymers in solution.
A simple route is reported to synthesize colloidal particle clusters (CPCs) from self‐assembly of in situ poly(vinylidene fluoride)/poly(styrene‐co‐tert‐butyl acrylate) [PVDF/P(St‐co‐tBA)] Janus particles through one‐pot seeded emulsion single electron transfer radical polymerization. In the in situ Pickering‐like emulsion polymerization, the tBA/St/PVDF feed ratio and polymerization temperature are important for the formation of well‐defined CPCs. When the tBA/St/PVDF feed ratio is 0.75 g/2.5 g/0.5 g and the reaction temperature is 35 °C, relatively uniform raspberry‐like CPCs are obtained. The hydrophobicity of the P(St‐co‐tBA) domains and the affinity of PVDF to the aqueous environment are considered to be the driving force for the self‐assembly of the in situ formed PVDF/P(St‐co‐tBA) Janus particles. The resultant raspberry‐like CPCs with PVDF particles protruding outward may be promising for superhydrophobic smart coatings.
The preparation of multifunctional polymers and block copolymers by a straightforward one‐pot reaction process that combines enzymatic transacylation with light‐controlled polymerization is described. Functional methacrylate monomers are synthesized by enzymatic transacylation and used in situ for light‐controlled polymerization, leading to multifunctional methacrylate‐based polymers with well‐defined microstructure.
Dopamine‐containing monomers, N‐3,4‐dihydroxybenzenethyl methacrylamide (DMA) and dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), are successfully copolymerized in a well‐controlled manner via ambient temperature single‐electron transfer initiation and propagation through the radical addition fragmentation chain transfer (SET‐RAFT) method. The controlled behaviors of the copolymerization are confirmed by the first‐order kinetic plots, the linear relationships between molecular weights, and the monomer conversions while keeping relatively narrow molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn ≤ 1.45). Moreover, biomimetic self‐assembly of poly(N‐3,4‐dihydroxybenzenethyl methacrylamide‐co‐dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) PDMA‐co‐PDMAEMA and inorganic particles are employed to prepare tunable honeycomb‐like porous hybrid particles (HPHPs) by regulating the predesigned chemical composition. In addition, the inorganic sacrificial templates are successfully selective etched for the formation of porous organic materials.
Ethylene–propylene–methyl methacrylate (MMA) and ethylene–hexene–MMA A‐B‐C block copolymers with high molecular weight (>100 000) are synthesized using fluorenylamide‐ligated titanium complex activated by modified methylaluminoxane and 2,6‐di‐tert‐butyl‐4‐methylphenol for the first time. After diblock copolymerization of olefin is conducted completely, MMA is added and activated by aluminum Lewis acid to promote anionic polymerization. The length of polyolefin and poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is controllable precisely by the change of the additive amount of olefin and polymerization time, respectively. A soft amorphous polypropylene or polyhexene segment is located between two hard segments of semicrystalline polyethylene and glassy PMMA blocks.
Moisture or water has the advantages of being green, inexpensive, and moderate. However, it is challenging to endow water‐induced shape memory property and self‐healing capability to one single polymer because of the conflicting structural requirement of the two types of materials. In this study, this problem is solved through introducing two kinds of supramolecular interactions into semi‐interpenetrating polymer networks (semi‐IPNs). The hydrogen bonds function as water‐sensitive switches, making the materials show moisture‐induced shape memory effect. The host–guest interactions (β‐cyclodextrin‐adamantane) serve as both permanent phases and self‐healing motifs, enabling further increased chain mobility at the cracks and self‐healing function. In addition, these polyvinylpyrrolidone/poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate‐co‐butyl acrylate) semi‐IPNs also show thermosensitive triple‐shape memory effect.
Multi‐micelle aggregation (MMA) mechanism is widely acknowledged to explicate large spherical micelles self‐assembly, but the process of MMA during self‐assembly is hard to observe. Herein, a novel kind of strong, regular microspheres fabricated from self‐assembly of amphiphilic anthracene‐functionalized β‐cyclodextrin (CD‐AN) via Cu(I)‐catalyzed azide‐alkyne click reactions is reported. The obtained CD‐AN amphiphiles can self‐assemble in water from primary core–shell micelles to secondary aggregates with the diameter changing from several tens nm to around 600–700 nm via MMA process according to the images of scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy as well as the dynamic light scattering measurements, followed by further crosslinking through photo‐dimerization of anthracene. What merits special attention is that such photo‐crosslinked self‐assemblies are able to disaggregate reversibly into primary nanoparticles when changing the solution conditions, which is benefited from the designed regular structure of CD‐AN and the rigid ranging of anthracene during assembly, thus confirming the process of MMA.
A novel oral delivery system consisting of thermoresponsive zwitterionic poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (PSBMA) and pH‐responsive poly(2‐(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDPA) is synthesized via free radical polymerization. This copolymer can self‐aggregate into nanoparticles via electrostatic attraction between ammonium cation and sulfo‐anion of PSBMA and successfully encapsulate anticancer drug, curcumin (CUR), with highest loading content of 2.6% in the P(SBMA‐co‐DPA) nanoparticles. The stimuli‐responsive phase transition behaviors of P(SBMA‐co‐DPA) copolymers at different pH buffer solution show pH‐dependent upper critical solution temperature (UCST) attributed to the influence of protonation/deprotonation of the pH‐responsive DPA segments. Through the delicate adjustment of the PSBMA/PDPA molar ratios, the stimuli‐responsive phase transition could be suitable for physiological environment. The kinetic drug release profiles demonstrate that P(SBMA‐co‐DPA) nanoparticles have the potential as oral delivery carriers due to their effective release of entrapped drugs in the stimulated intestinal fluid and preventing the deterioration of drug in stimulated gastric fluid.
A novel diblock copolymer consisting of poly(vinylferrocene) (PVFc) and poly(N,N‐diethylacrylamide) (PDEA) is synthesized via a combination of anionic and RAFT polymerization. The use of a novel route to hydroxyl‐end‐functionalized metallopolymers in anionic polymerization and subsequent esterification with a RAFT agent leads to a PVFc macro‐CTA ( = 3800 g mol−1; Đ = 1.17). RAFT polymerization with DEA affords block copolymers as evidenced by 1H NMR spectroscopy as well as size exclusion chromatography (6400 ≤ ≤ 33700 g mol−1; 1.31 ≤ Đ 1.28). Self‐assembly of the amphiphilic block copolymers in aqueous solution leads to micelles as shown via TEM. Importantly, the distinct thermo‐responsive and redox‐responsive character of the blocks is probed via dynamic light scattering and found to be individually and repeatedly addressable.
The entrapment of a protein in porous poly(d,l ‐lactide‐co‐glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres is demonstrated through the closure of their outer surface pores for sustained delivery of the protein. The porous PLGA microspheres with less than 10 μm in size are prepared by electrospraying. Aqueous solutions containing fluorescein isothiocyanate‐dextran or bovine serum albumin (BSA) are penetrated into the inner pores as a result of vacuum treatment, and the outer surface pores of the porous PLGA microspheres are then closed using a solvent (dimethyl sulfoxide) to ensure entrapment of the macromolecules. Confocal microscopy images confirm the presence of a large amount of the macromolecules inside the porous structure. Circular dichroism spectroscopy and release analysis reveal that BSA is entrapped without denaturation and released in a sustained manner for a period of over 2 months, respectively.
A simple and elegant approach to fabricate anisotropic P(VC‐co‐AAEM)/PS nanoparticles with controllable morphologies via emulsifier‐free seeded emulsion polymerization is presented. Non‐cross‐linked P(VC‐co‐AAEM) seeds with hydrophilic surface are first synthesized through copolymerization of vinyl chloride (VC) and acetoacetoxyethyl methacrylate (AAEM), which are used to prepare P(VC‐co‐AAEM)/PS NPs with multiple bulges by SEP of styrene. Electron microscopy observation indicates that the content of AAEM in seeds is crucial to control the phase separation and morphology of the composite NPs. Moreover, the thermodynamic immiscibility between PVC and PS is the driving force for the formation of PS bulges onto the P(VC‐co‐AAEM) seeds. The resultant anisotropic NPs with non‐cross‐linked feature may promisingly serve as compatibilizers for further polymer processing.
A supramolecular block copolymer is prepared by the molecular recognition of nucleobases between poly(2‐(2‐methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate‐co‐oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate)‐SS‐poly(ε‐caprolactone)‐adenine (P(MEO2MA‐co‐OEGMA)‐SS‐PCL‐A) and uracil‐terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG‐U). Because the block copolymer is linked by the combination of covalent (disulfide bond) and noncovalent (A U) bonds, it not only has similar properties to conventional covalently linked block copolymers but also possesses a dynamic and tunable nature. The copolymer can self‐assemble into micelles with a PCL core and P(MEO2MA‐co‐OEGMA)/PEG shell. The size and morphologies of the micelles/aggregates can be adjusted by altering the temperature, pH, salt concentration, or adding dithiothreitol (DTT) to the solution. The controlled release of Nile red is achieved at different environmental conditions.
Three‐ and four‐arm star shaped polymers, as well as diblock copolymers, are synthesized via acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization. This is accomplished by using an asymmetric α,ω‐diene containing a terminal double bond and an acrylate, which is polymerized in the presence of multifunctional acrylates as selective and irreversible chain transfer agents using Hoveyda‐Grubbs second generation catalyst. High cross‐metathesis selectivities are achieved at low temperatures enabling good control over molecular weights. Furthermore, additional polyethyleneglycol (PEG) blocks are attached to these polymers via Heck coupling of the acrylate end‐groups of these polymers with aryl iodide functionalized PEG, obtaining three‐ and four‐arm star shaped di‐ and triblock copolymers with molecular weights up to 31 kDa.
Well‐defined ABC triblock copolymers based on two hydrophilic blocks, A and C, and a hydrophobic block B are synthesized and their self‐assembly behavior is investigated. Interestingly, at the same solvent, concentration, pH, and temperature, different shape micelles are observed, spherical and worm‐like micelles, depending on the preparation method. Specifically, spherical micelles are observed with bulk rehydration while both spherical and worm‐like micelles are observed with film rehydration.
Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide‐co‐3‐(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate), P(NIPAAm‐co‐TMSPMA), copolymers with relatively high TMSPMA contents without insoluble fraction are successfully synthesized. Subsequent sol–gel reactions in both the absence and presence of tetraethyl orthosilicate lead to gels with high gel fractions. The resulting gels undergo gel collapse at 28.6–28.7 °C, i.e., below that of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) homopolymer of 34.3 °C. Unexpectedly, the theophylline‐loaded hybrid gels release the drug not only below but also above the gel collapse temperature (GCT) with considerable rates and released amounts of drug. Surprisingly, evaluation of the sustained release profiles by the Korsmeyer–Peppas equation indicates that the release occurs by Fickian diffusion above GCT, which can be attributed to the lack of significant drug–polymer interaction at such temperatures. These results can be widely applied for the design and utilization of TMSPMA‐based sol–gel polymer hybrids with desired release profiles of solutes below and above GCT for a variety of applications.
Nowadays, the synthesis of (semi)aromatic polymers from lignin derivatives is of major interest, as aromatic compounds are key intermediates in the manufacture of polymers and lignin is the main source of aromatic biobased substrates. Phenols with a variety of chemical structures can be obtained from lignin deconstruction; among them, vanillin and ferulic acid are the main ones. Depending on the phenol substrates, different chemical modifications and polymerization pathways are developed, leading to (semi)aromatic polymers covering a wide range of thermomechanical properties. This review discusses the synthesis and properties of thermosets (vinyl ester resins, cyanate ester, epoxy, and benzoxazine resins) and thermoplastic polymers (polyesters, polyanhydrides, Schiff base polymers, polyacetals, polyoxalates, polycarbonates, acrylate polymers) prepared from vanillin, ferulic acid, guaiacol, syringaldehyde, or 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid.
Free radical terpolymerization of (N,N)‐dimethylacrylamide, ethylene‐glycol‐dimethacrylate and N‐(p‐ or m‐ethyl‐phenyl)acrylamide leads to para‐ and meta‐ethyl‐phenyl‐modified hydrophilic polymer networks. Polymeric networks of different molar ratios are prepared in special molds to give water swellable disc‐ shaped samples. The swelling behavior in water and aqueous cyclodextrin (CD) solution of the obtained samples is described while a distinctive differentiation between the para‐ and meta‐ethyl‐phenyl containing networks in CD solution can be found.
