An enzymatic tandem reaction is described in which the enzymes phosphorylase and Deinococcus geothermalis glycogen branching enzyme (Dg GBE) catalyze the synthesis of branched polyglucans from glucose‐1‐phosphate (G‐1‐P). Phosphorylase consumes G‐1‐P and polymerizes linear amylose while Dg GBE introduces branching points on the α‐(1 → 6) positions by reshuffling short oligosaccharides. The resulting branched polyglucans have an unusually high degree of branching of 11%.
Here, we describe a procedure to manufacture smart hybrid probes that exhibit tunable optical properties as a function of multiple environmental variations. Initially, we achieved a one‐pot synthesis of gold‐PREP (photo‐responsive elastin‐like polymer) conjugate Gold‐AzoGlu15 via reduction of auric acid in the presence of PREP AzoGlu15 . Outstandingly, Gold‐AzoGlu15 exhibited pH and temperature sensitiveness. However, Gold‐AzoGlu15 was not UV‐vis sensitive. We noticed that photo‐isomerisation of azobenzene moieties in Gold‐AzoGlu15 could not be detected by UV‐vis spectroscopy. In a subsequent step, we explored the use of cyclodextrins and the formation of alkanethiol mixed‐monolayers over mother Gold‐AzoGlu15 by thiol‐place exchange reactions in order to decouple photo‐isomerisation of azobenzene from the bulk phase absorption. In this sense we achieved the synthesis of β‐cyclodextrin capped Gold‐CD‐AzoGlu15 . Notable was that cis‐trans photo‐conversion of azobenzene groups in Gold‐CD‐AzoGlu15 could be successfully detected. Finally, we present the optical properties exhibited by multi‐sensitive probe Gold‐CD‐AzoGlu15 as a function of pH, temperature and UV‐vis irradiation. We think that gold‐PREP hybrids could be of great interest in the design of multi‐functional chromophore‐metal nanocomposites that operate in aqueous media for the development of multi‐stimuli sensitive detectors for biosensing applications.
The effect of PAMAM dendrimers (generations G3, G4 and G5) on the fibrillation of α‐synuclein was examined by fluorescence and CD spectroscopy, TEM and SANS. PAMAM dendrimers inhibited fibrillation of α‐synuclein and this effect increased both with generation number and PAMAM concentration. SANS showed structural changes in the formed aggregates of α‐synuclein – from cylindrical to dense three‐dimensional ones – as the PAMAM concentration increased, on account of the inhibitory effect. PAMAM also effectively promoted the breaking down of pre‐existing fibrils of α‐synuclein. In both processes – that is, inhibition and disassociation of fibrils – PAMAM redirected α‐synuclein to an amorphous aggregation pathway.
Summary: Amphiphilic graft polyphosphazenes (EtTrp/PNIPAm‐PPP) with different mole ratios of hydrophobic groups to hydrophilic segments were synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization and subsequent substitution reactions. The self‐assembly behavior of these graft copolymers was studied in detail by TEM, SEM, CLSM, and AFM. Depending on the copolymer composition and common organic solvent employed in dialysis process, supramolecular aggregates ranging from network, nanospheres, high‐genus particles to macrophage‐like aggregates were produced with graft copolymers.
A novel terminal modification agent to endow hyperbranched polyamidoamine (HPAMAM) with thermo‐/pH‐responsive properties is reported. HPAMAM with terminal vinyl groups is first synthesized and then end‐capped by 1‐adamantylamine (ADA). The resulting hyperbranched polymer (HPAMAM‐ADA) shows interesting thermo‐responsive properties in aqueous solution, which have been investigated by UV‐vis spectroscopy, optical microscopy, and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The lower critical solution temperature can be controlled by adjusting the end‐capping ratio of ADA. In addition, HPAMAM‐ADA exhibits a pH‐dependent water solubility. This pH‐responsive behavior is also studied.
A simple efficient post‐modification route to the fabrication of hybrid gold nanoparticles with poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) based on click chemistry is described. The PNIPAm was prepared by reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer radical polymerization (RAFT). The PNIPAm was immobilized onto gold nanoparticles with grafting densities of 5.8 chains · nm−2 by a click reaction. The hybrid gold nanoparticles showed a temperature responsive phenomenon as the temperature changed between 20 and 45 °C.
The free volume in thin films of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamid) end‐capped with n‐butyltriocarbonate (nbc‐PNIPAM) is probed with positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS). The PALS measurements are performed as function of energy to obtain depth profiles of the free volume of nbc‐PNIPAM films. The range of nbc‐PNIPAM films with thicknesses from 40 to 200 nm is focused. With decreasing film thickness the free volume increases in good agreement with an increase in the maximum swelling capability of the nbc‐PNIPAM films. Thus in thin hydrogel films the sorption and swelling behavior is governed by free volume.
Multicomponent phase change microfibers, which can storage and release thermal energy in a stepwise manner, are firstly prepared through a facile one‐step multifluidic compound‐jet electrospinning with temperature control. The multiresponsive effect benefits from a special multichannel tubular microstructure that could controllably encapsulate different phase change materials into the channels independently. Aside from the fabrication of multicomponent phase change microfibers, the melt multifluidic compound‐jet electrospinning is promising for applications related to microencapsulation and multifunctional material fields.
Will polytellurophenes bridge the gap between conjugated polymer and inorganic solid‐state semiconductors? Polytellurophenes are a virtually unexplored class of conjugated polymer. In this paper, the synthetic methodologies that have been used to prepare polytellurophenes are chronicled. The properties of the resulting polymers are discussed and their potential for use as electronic materials is evaluated. It is far too early to know if these materials will lead to a useful class of thin‐film semiconductors, however some key challenges associated with their synthesis and implementation are outlined. These challenges will need to be addressed as the conjugated polymer research community begins to utilize this area of the periodic table.
In this communication, γ‐phenyl‐γ‐butyrodithiolactone (DTL1) is presented as the first example of a new type of control agent. The styrene polymerization carried out at 60 °C in the presence of DTL1 exhibits living characteristics, without consuming DTL1 during the process. This unprecedented behavior was explained by a mechanism based on the reversible formation of a persistent radical adduct between the DTL1 and the polystyrene macroradicals.
Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐block‐poly{6‐[4‐(4‐methylphenyl‐azo) phenoxy] hexylacrylate} (PNIPAM‐b‐PAzoM) was synthesized by successive reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. In H2O/THF mixture, amphiphilic PNIPAM‐b‐PAzoM self‐assembles into giant micro‐vesicles. Upon irradiation of light at 365 nm, fusion of the vesicles was observed directly under an optical microscope. The real‐time fusion process is presented and the derivation is preliminarily due to the perturbation by the photoinduced trans‐to‐cis isomerization of azobenzene units in the vesicles.
A new donor–acceptor polymer based on 9,9‐dioctylfluorene is synthesized and tested in organic photovoltaic devices. Results show that the polymer exhibits good solubility in a range of organic solvents and has a high hole mobility. When blended with a PC70BM acceptor and fabricated into a bulk heterojunction, photovoltaic devices having a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 6.2% and a peak external quantum efficiency of 74% are created. Such efficiencies are realized without any necessity for solvent additives or thermal annealing protocols.
Polybutadienes (PBs) are found to form inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins (CDs) stereoselectively to give crystalline compounds in bulk. These complexes have been isolated and characterized by means of 1H NMR and 13C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. Although α‐CD did not form inclusion complexes with any kinds of PBs in aqueous solutions, α‐CD did form inclusion complexes with PBs having 1,4‐cis‐ and 1,4‐trans‐butadiene units in bulk by heating at 100 °C. On the other hand, PB having 79% of a 1,2‐structure did not form inclusion complexes with α‐CD. The yield of the inclusion complexes increases with an increase in the content of the 1,4‐cis‐structure of PB and decreases with the molecular weights of the PBs.
The fabrication of a thermoresponsive biohybrid double hydrophilic block copolymer (DHBC) by a cofactor reconstitution approach is reported. Poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) bearing a porphyrin moiety at the chain terminal, PPIXZn‐PNIPAM, is synthesized by the combination of ATRP and a click reaction. The subsequent cofactor reconstitution process between apomyoglobin and PPIXZn‐PNIPAM affords well‐defined myoglobin‐b‐PNIPAM protein–polymer bioconjugates. Behaving as typical responsive DHBCs, the obtained myoglobin‐b‐PNIPAM biohybrid diblock copolymer exhibits thermo‐induced aggregation behavior in aqueous solution as a result of the presence of the thermoresponsive PNIPAM block, as revealed by temperature‐dependent transmittance, dynamic laser light scattering measurements, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. This work represents the first report of the preparation of responsive biohybrid DHBCs by the cofactor reconstitution process.
Films of an α‐cyclodextrin/poly(ε‐caprolactone) inclusion complex have been successfully prepared and show high transparency and heat resistance in comparison to the pure polymer film. The physical properties, such as transparency, mechanical properties, and thermal stability, of the α‐CD‐PCL‐IC films are found to depend on the α‐cyclodextrin‐to‐polymer stoichiometry.
Summary: A well‐dispersed gold nanoparticle/poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) hydrogel nanocomposite with thermoswitchable electrical properties is prepared by the copolymerization of functional Au nanoparticles with N‐isopropylacrylamide. It is found that the electrical conductivity of the nanocomposite changes by two orders of magnitude at moderate temperature (Ttran) upon temperature stimuli. The change of electrical properties is reversible during a heating and cooling cycle.
Schematic illustration of the mechanism of the thermo‐switchable electronic properties of the Au nanoparticle/PNIPAm composite. 相似文献
Summary: A novel semi‐interpenetrating polymer network (semi‐IPN) with photomechanical switching ability was developed by a cationic copolymerization of azobenzene‐containing vinyl ethers in a matrix of a linear polycarbonate (PC). The semi‐IPN film showed reversible deformation upon switching the UV irradiation on and off and responded with unprecedented rapidity. The photomechanical effect is attributed to a reversible change between the highly aggregated and dissociated states of the azobenzene groups.
The reversible UV response of the length of the semi‐IPN film at 25 °C. 相似文献
Detection of the adduct radical by ESR spectroscopy and after‐effect ESR measurements of the adduct radical concentrations in the photosensitized polymerization of styrene (St) in the presence of dimers of α‐methylstyrene (MSD) and methyl methacrylate have revealed that the dominant mechanism of adduct radical loss changes from bimolecular termination to fragmentation as the temperature is increased beyond 90 °C for St/MSD.
Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)‐based films, nanotubes, and nanotube arrays were successfully made using layer‐by‐layer (LbL) assembly ion‐containing PEO derivatives on porous templates and planar substrates. PEG nanotubes are challenging to produce because PEG dissolves into solutions and solvents used during nanotube processing, but our techniques circumvent the issue. Nanotube dimensions were verified using microscopy and the average observed diameter was 155 nm. The PEG‐based structures showed remarkable stability in water, salt water, and sodium hydroxide solution.
Rate constants for long‐chain branch formation during ethylene polymerization with metallocene catalysts were estimated and compared to polymerization rate constants for long α‐olefins. Unexpectedly, these branching constants were found to be comparable to the reactivity ratios of much shorter α‐olefins. Micromixing effects or a parallel mechanism for long‐chain branch generation are proposed as possible explanations for this finding.
Comparison between the α‐olefin and branching incorporation rate constants, normalized by the propagation rate constant (the values estimated from ref. 1 are subject to a significant uncertainty because the reaction conditions are not provided. A 10 wt.‐% polymer fraction in the reactor was assumed to estimate these values). 相似文献
