Interpolymer association between hydrophobically modified poly(sodium acrylate) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) in water: The role of hydrophobic interactions and polymer structure

The association between hydrophobically modified poly(sodium acrylate) (HMPA) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) in aqueous solution was studied using turbidimetry, viscometry and fluorescence measurements. Both the polymeric and the amphiphilic nature of the HMPA influence the association process. The tendency for association, as reflected by the increase in the cloud point and the reduced viscosity of PNIPAM, increases with the length of the alkyl group and the degree of substitution of HMPA. The fluorescence study, using pyrene as a probe, ascertains that the association is of hydrophobic nature and the association process is gradual and less cooperative than the association of PNIPAM with ionic surfactants. When high molar mass HMPA is used, the hydrophobic association between HMPA and PNIPAM leads to the formation of a reversible network with significantly enhanced thickening properties as compared to the thickening ability of the corresponding pure HMPA in aqueous solution.     

Rheological Properties of Hydrophobically Modified Poly(acrylic acid) in Mixed Solutions

Hydrophobically modified poly(acrylic acid) (HMPA) with single-tailed pendant side groups was prepared by precipitation polymerization. The effects of polymer concentration, surfactant and co-solvent on the solution properties of HMPA were investigated. HMPA solutions showed good viscosity enhancement and typical shear thinning behavior with increasing concentration. The surfactant TX-10 and co-solvent ethylene glycol gave rise to factors that changed the hydrophobic interactions and in turn the rheology behavior of the solutions. The transient associative network of HMPA in ethylene glycol + water mixed solutions was retained as the temperature was decreased to below 0 °C.     

Network formation of catanionic vesicles and oppositely charged polyelectrolytes. Effect of polymer charge density and hydrophobic modification

In nonequimolar solutions of a cationic and an anionic surfactant, vesicles bearing a net charge can be spontaneously formed and apparently exist as thermodynamically stable aggregates. These vesicles can associate strongly with polymers in solution by means of hydrophobic and/or electrostatic interactions. In the current work, we have investigated the rheological and microstructural properties of mixtures of cationic polyelectrolytes and net anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate/didodecyldimethylammonium bromide vesicles. The polyelectrolytes consist of two cationic cellulose derivatives with different charge densities; the lowest charge density polymer contains also hydrophobic grafts, with the number of charges equal to the number of grafts. For both systems, polymer-vesicle association leads to a major increase in viscosity and to gel-like behavior, but the viscosity effects are more pronounced for the less charged, hydrophobically modified polymer. Evaluation of the frequency dependence of the storage and loss moduli for the two systems shows further differences in behavior: while the more long-lived cross-links occur for the more highly charged hydrophilic polymer, the number of cross-links is higher for the hydrophobically modified polymer. Microstructure studies by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy indicate that the two polymers affect the vesicle stability in different ways. With the hydrophobically modified polymer, the aggregates remain largely in the form of globular vesicles and faceted vesicles (polygon-shaped vesicles with largely planar regions). For the hydrophilic polycation, on the other hand, the surfactant aggregate structure is more extensively modified: first, the vesicles change from a globular to a faceted shape; second, there is opening of the bilayers leading to holey vesicles and ultimately to considerable vesicle disruption leading to planar bilayer, disklike aggregates. The faceted shape is tentatively attributed to a crystallization of the surfactant film in the vesicles. It is inferred that a hydrophobically modified polyion with relatively low charge density can better stabilize vesicles due to formation of molecularly mixed aggregates, while a hydrophilic polyion with relatively high charge density associates so strongly to the surfactant films, due to strong electrostatic interactions, that the vesicles are more perturbed and even disrupted.     

Separating the contribution of translational and rotational diffusion to protein association

The association of two proteins is preceded by a mutual diffusional search in solution. The role of translational and rotational diffusion in this process has been studied theoretically for many years. However, systematic experimental verification of theoretical results is still lacking. We report here measurements of association rates of the proteins beta-lactamase (TEM) and beta-lactamase inhibitor protein (BLIP) in solutions of glycerol and poly(ethylene glycol) of increasing viscosity. We also measured translational and rotational diffusion in the same solutions, using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and fluorescence anisotropy, respectively. It is found that in glycerol both translational and rotational diffusion rates are inversely dependent on viscosity, as predicted by the classical Stokes-Einstein relations, while the association rate depends nonlinearly on viscosity. In contrast, the association rate depends only weakly on the viscosity of the polymer solutions, which results in a similar weak dependence of k(on) on viscosity. The data are modeled using the theory of diffusion-limited association. Deviations from the theory are explained by a short-range solute-induced repulsion between the proteins in glycerol solution and an attractive depletion interaction generated by the polymers. These results open the way to the creation of a unified framework for all nonspecific effects involved in the protein association process, as well as to better theoretical understanding of these effects. Further, they reflect on the complex factors controlling protein association within the crowded environment of cells and suggest that a high concentration of macromolecules does not significantly impede protein association.     

Study on Synergistic Effect Between Wormlike Micelles and Hydrophobically Modified Poly(acrylic acid) in Salt Solution

The complex system of hydrophobically modified poly (acrylic acid) (HMPA) and wormlike micelles formed by sodium oleate in the presence of sodium acetate is investigated by apparent viscosity and rheological measurements. Addition of small amount of HMPA markedly enhances the viscosity of wormlike micelles, with further increase of HMPA concentration, a viscosity drop is observed. At high salinity, the complex system still remains strong viscoelastic and eliminates the limitation of susceptibility to salt for HMPA. DPD simulation results are in good agreement with experimental data, which provide theoretical confirmation for a synergistic mechanism between HMPA and wormlike micelles.      

疏水改性聚丙烯酸溶液的流变特性研究

本文通过沉淀聚合制备了具有不同主链结构的疏水改性聚丙烯酸(HMPA),由Huggins方程确定了HMPA在溶液(水,盐/水,醇/水)中的特性粘数[η]和Huggins常数KH,采用流变学法研究了HMPA溶液的疏水缔合行为和流变特性.研究表明,HMPA溶液具有典型的剪切变稀行为,主链结构对HMPA溶液的缔合行为和流变特性有显著影响.主链含有疏水链段的HMPA在乙二醇/水溶液中形成类似弹性体的凝胶网络结构,具有较大的活化能,其表观粘度具有明显的温度敏感性.     

New dendronized polymers from acrylate Behera amine and their ability to produce visco-elastic structured fluids when mixed with CTAT worm-like micelles

Two new water soluble dendronized polymers (PLn) from acrylate Behera amine monomer of different molecular weights were successfully synthesized. The polymers were characterized by FTIR, NMR, GPC and DLS. Both GPC and DLS results indicated that these PLn have a remarkable tendency to form aggregates in solution that lead to apparent molecular weights that are much higher than their theoretical values, as well as large diameters in solution. However, the addition of any PLn to water did not cause any increase in viscosity up to concentrations of 1000 ppm. The possible interactions of PLn with the cationic surfactant CTAT were explored by solution rheometry. A synergistic viscosity enhancement was found by adding small amounts of dendronized PLn polymers to a CTAT solution composed of entangled worm-like micelles. The highest association tendency with CTAT was found for PL1 at the maximum polymer concentration before phase separation (i.e., 100 ppm). The solution viscosity at low-shear rates could be increased by an order of magnitude upon addition of 100 ppm of PL1 to a 20mM CTAT solution. For this mixture, the fluid obtained was highly structured and exhibited only shear thinning behavior from the smallest shear rates employed. These PL1/CTAT mixtures exhibited an improved elastic character (as determined by dynamic rheometry) that translated in a much longer value of the cross-over relaxation time and a pronounced thixotropic behavior which are indicative of a strong intermolecular interaction. In the case of the polymer with a higher theoretical molecular weight, PL2, its association with CTAT leads to an extraordinary doubling of solution viscosity with just 0.25 ppm polymer addition to a 20mM CTAT solution. However, such synergistic viscosity enhancement saturated at rather low concentrations (25 ppm) indicating an apparent lower solubility as compared to PL1, a fact that may be related to its higher molecular weight.     

Exploiting the right side of the Ramachandran plot: substitution of glycines by D-alanine can significantly increase protein stability

A major goal of protein engineering is the enhancement of protein stability. Here we demonstrate a rational method for enhancing the stability of globular proteins by targeting glycine residues which adopt conformations with Phi > 0. Replacement of such a glycine by d-alanine can lead to a significant increase in stability. The approach is tested at three sites in two model proteins. NMR and CD indicated that the substitutions do not alter the structure. Replacement of glycine-24 of the N-terminal domain of L9 (NTL9) with d-Ala results in an increase in stability of 1.3 kcal mol-1, while replacement of glycine-34 of NTL9 leads to an increase of 1.9 kcal mol-1. Replacement of glycine-331 of the UBA domain with d-Ala leads to an increase in stability of 0.6 kcal mol-1.     

Characterization of globular protein solutions by dynamic light scattering, electrophoretic mobility, and viscosity measurements

In this work, physicochemical properties of two globular proteinsbovine serum albumin (BSA) having a molecular weight of 67 kDa and human serum albumin (HSA) having a molecular weight of 69 kDawere characterized. The bulk characteristics of these proteins involved the diffusion coefficient (hydrodynamic radius), electrophoretic mobility, and dynamic viscosity as a function of protein solution concentration for various pH values. The hydrodynamic radius data suggested an association of protein molecules, most probably forming compact dimers. Using the hydrodynamic diameter and the electropheretic mobility data allowed the determination of the number of uncompensated (electrokinetic) charges on protein surfaces. The electrophoretic mobility data were converted to zeta potential values, which allowed one to determine the isoelectric point (iep) of these proteins. It was found to be at pH 5.1 for both proteins, in accordance with previous experimental data and theoretical estimations derived from amino acid composition and p K values. To determine further the stability of protein solutions, dynamic viscosity measurements were carried out as a function of their bulk volume concentration for various pH values. The intrinsic viscosity derived from these measurements was interpreted in terms of the Brenner model, which is applicable to hard spheroidal particles. It was found that the experimental values of the intrinsic viscosity of these proteins were in good agreement with this model when assuming protein dimensions of 9.5 x 5 x 5 nm3 (prolate spheroid). The possibility of forming linear aggregates of association degree higher than 2 was excluded by these measurements. It was concluded that the combination of dynamic viscosity and dynamic light scattering can be exploited as a convenient tool for detecting not only the onset of protein aggregation in suspensions but also the form and composition of these aggregates.     

Viscosity enhancement of complexed solutions formed through the complexation of nonionic water‐soluble polymers with chemically complementary structures in aqueous media

The intermacromolecular complexation of polymers with chemically complementary structures in aqueous media is a new approach to modifying polymer solutions, especially to enhance solution viscosity. In this study, complexed solutions formed through the hydrogen‐bonding complexation of several nonionic water‐soluble polymer pairs—poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) with polyacrylamide (PAM), PAM with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), PAA with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and PEO with PVA—were prepared, and the viscosity enhancement of the complexed solutions were studied with vision spectrophotometry and viscometry. The effects of the polymer concentration, polymer molecular weight, and pH value of the polymer solution on the intermacromolecular interactions were investigated through a comparison of the viscosity enhancement factor R of different complexed solutions. The results show that the viscosity of the PAA/PAM complexed solution is much higher than that of its constituents, whereas that of the PAM/PEO and the PAA/PVA complexed solutions are between the viscosities of their constituents but are higher than the theory values calculated from the blending rule of two polymer solutions. These results indicate that in the complexed solutions there exist interactions between the macromolecules with chemically complementary structures, although the interactions are quite different for the different complexed systems. It is the interactions that lead to an association of the polymers and, hence, an obvious enhancement in the solution viscosity and the resistance of the polymer solutions to shearing. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 1069–1077, 2000     

Controlled Supramolecular Self‐Assembly of Super‐charged β‐Lactoglobulin A–PEG Conjugates into Nanocapsules

The synthesis and characterization of a new protein–polymer conjugate composed of β lactoglobulin A (βLG A) and poly(ethylene glycol) PEG is described. βLG A was selectively modified to self‐assemble by super‐charging via amination or succinylation followed by conjugation with PEG. An equimolar mixture of the oppositely charged protein–polymer conjugates self‐assemble into spherical capsules of 80–100 nm in diameter. The self‐assembly proceeds by taking simultaneous advantage of the amphiphilicity and polyelectrolyte nature of the protein–polymer conjugate. These protein–polymer capsules or proteinosomes are reminiscent of protein capsids, and are capable of encapsulating solutes in their interior. We envisage this approach to be applicable to other globular proteins.     

Cellulose-poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) blends studied by scanning electron microscopy and dynamic mechanical measurements

New polymer blends based on cellulose and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) were obtained using a mixture of N=methyl morpholine N-oxide (NMMO) and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) as a common solvent system. Materials are obtained after the removing of NMMO-DMSO in three of their different solvents, namely i) H₂O, ii) a mixture 95/5 vol/vol hexamethyl phosphororri amide (HMPA) DMSO and iii) a mixture of 95/5 vol/vol dioxan/water.Scanning electron microscopy techniques were extensively used and lead to the conclusion that all these blends in the composition range 25/75 w/w to 75/25 w/w cellulose/PVP are two-phase systems in which cellulose forms a continuous phase. Preliminary results from calorimetric and dynamic mechanical measurements confirm these observations. Furrthermore, it is shown that using dioxanwater preserves the initial cellulose PVP composition, allowing to get blends with the desired PVP fraction. Although it is not the case with HMPA/DMSO which dissolves a part of PVP, its use leads to assymmetric, porous structures.     

Modified polysaccharides for use in enhanced oil recovery applications

Aqueous solutions of a charged hydrophobically modified hydroxyethylcellulose (HM-HEC(−)) exhibit high viscosities even at low polymer concentrations (0.2 wt%), which is an interesting feature in connection with enhanced oil recovery. This polymer was synthesized for this work. Effects of temperature and addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) or hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) on the viscosity properties of a semidilute solution of HM-HEC(−) are examined. The results for the HM-HEC(−)/SDS system disclose strong interactions between HM-HEC(−) and SDS at low level of SDS addition, and this leads to a significant viscosification of the polymer-surfactant mixture. At higher surfactant concentrations the association complexes are disrupted. A strong temperature effect of the viscosity is observed at moderate levels of SDS addition, with lower values of the viscosity at elevated temperatures because of enhanced polymer chain mobility that breaks up the associations. Addition of HP-β-CD monomers to the HM-HEC(−) solution generates decoupling of associations via inclusion complex formation with the polymer hydrophobic tails and the viscosity decreases. By using temperature and addition of these co-solutes, it is demonstrated that the viscosity of the polymer solution can be tuned over a large range of viscosity values.     

Polymer complexes stabilized through hydrogen bonds. Influence of “structure defects” on complex formation: Viscometry and fluorescence polarization measurements

The structure of polymer complexes stabilized through hydrogen bonds can be much influenced by the presence of nonactive groups (structure defects) on the polymer chains. In this paper two very simple homopolymer/copolymer systems are studied: the homopolymer is a polybase, polyoxyethylene (PEO) or polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), and the copolymer a partially neutralized poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). The acrylate groups on PAA chain behave as structure defects. Viscometry provides information about macroscopic structure of polymer complex in solution while fluorescence polarization is especially adapted for the study of the local mobility of polymer chains. Two kinds of structure are found: the first one is compact and implies a low viscosity of the mixture, eventually precipitation occurs, the second one is a highly branched structure, close to a gel, which leads to a very high increase in viscosity. For instance, the viscosity of the mixture may be several hundred times higher than the sum of the viscosities of the two individual polymer solutions. Such mixtures are especially adapted to be used like thickening agents.     

Non-Newtonian behavior of concentrated emulsions stabilized with globular protein in the presence of nonionic surfactant

Changes in the rheological properties of a model concentrated oil-in-water emulsion stabilized with globular protein (bovine serum albumin) upon the addition of nonionic surfactant polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate (Tween 80) are studied. Non-Newtonian behavior is typical of the emulsions in question; moreover, they are characterized by the existence of yield stress. At stresses above the yield stress, the viscosity drops not immediately but after the intermediate Newtonian region at the flow curve. For all systems studied, the total flow curve is exhibited with the minimum Newtonian viscosity that is adequately described by the Cross formula. An increase in the Tween 80 concentration leads to a decrease in the viscosity of emulsion. Two threshold phenomena on the concentration dependences of rheological properties are revealed: at low concentration of added nonionic surfactant, the yield stress drops abruptly, whereas the viscosity lowers considerably with an increase in surfactant concentration to 1 × 10^?3 mol/l and the emulsion becomes unstable. The effects observed can be explained by the gradual displacement of high-molecular-weight stabilizer from interfacial layers and its replacement by nonionic surfactant.     

疏水缔合聚丙烯酸与蠕虫状胶束的协同作用

从宏观流变性和介观尺度方面, 研究了疏水缔合聚丙烯酸(HMPA)与油酸钠(NaOA)构筑的蠕虫状胶束的协同作用. 考察HMPA对蠕虫状胶束溶液流变性和表观粘度的影响, 结果表明, 极少量HMPA的引入导致蠕虫状胶束溶液体系动态模量明显增加; 其表观粘度随HMPA浓度的增加先增强后减弱. 另一方面, 通过耗散颗粒动力学(DPD)分子模拟方法研究了混合体系中溶液组成对HMPA分子链的均方根末端距的影响. 结果表明,随着NaOA浓度增加, HMPA的均方根末端距会出现峰值; HMPA的伸展程度受其自身浓度变化制约, 相对于纯HMPA体系, NaOA胶束的存在对高浓度区的HMPA伸展程度影响更明显. 结合流变实验和分子模拟结果,初步解释了聚合物与蠕虫状胶束的协同作用机制.     

新型疏水缔合聚合物P(AM/POEA)与表面活性剂的相互作用

采用粘度法、荧光探针和透射电镜研究了新型疏水缔合聚合物P(AM/POEA)和表面活性剂SDS和CTAB在水溶液中的相互作用. 聚合物P(AM/POEA)结构中, 疏水体(2-苯氧乙基丙烯酸酯)呈嵌段状无序地分布在聚丙烯酰胺主链上. 这类聚合物很容易和表面活性剂相互作用, 通过疏水缔合, 形成混合胶束状聚集体, 导致溶液粘度剧增. 随聚合物溶液中SDS的加入, 溶液粘度发生大幅度起伏变化, 出现最大值. 粘度最大值对应的表面活性剂浓度c_S,max位于表面活性剂CMC附近, 并发现它的位置不随聚合物微结构而变化. 然而它们缔合作用的增粘程度却与聚合物疏水体含量X_H及疏水嵌段尺寸N_H有关. 在实验浓度范围内, X_H和N_H愈大, 溶液的粘度越高. 此外用透射电镜直接观察到聚合物/表面活性剂体系中聚集体的交联结构形貌.     

聚酰胺——聚对苯二甲酰对苯二胺的研究

详细地研究了对苯二甲酰-对苯二胺低温溶液缩聚时,各种反应条件对聚合体分子量的影响,获得了适合于液晶纺丝的高分子量聚合体,其η_(inh)可达5—7。结果表明,聚合体系的水份、单体克分子浓度、各种混合溶剂体系比对聚合体分子量有明显的影响。为获得高分子量聚合体,混合溶剂体系的最佳组成分别为:HMPA:DMAC=4:1(体积比)、HMPA:NMP=7:3 和 HMPA:THF=9:1。当水份含量大于100ppm时,将严重妨碍高分子量聚合体的得到。在缩聚反应初期,聚合体η_(inh)随时间迅速增长,两三分钟内出现凝聚现象,聚合转化率达100％。体系凝聚后缩聚反应仍然进行,聚合体仍有增长。     

Reduction of ketones and alkyl iodides by SmI(2) and Sm(II)-HMPA complexes. Rate and mechanistic studies

The effect of HMPA on the electron transfer (ET) rate of samarium diiodide reduction reactions in THF was analyzed for a series of ketones (2-butanone, methyl acetoacetate, and N,N-dimethylacetoacetamide) and alkyl iodides (1-iodobutane and 2-iodobutane) with stopped flow spectrophotometric studies. Activation parameters for the ET processes were determined by temperature-dependence studies over a range of 30-50 degrees C. The ET rate constants and the activation parameters obtained for the above systems in the presence of different equivalents of HMPA were compared to understand the mechanism of action of HMPA on various substrates. The results obtained from these studies indicate that coordination or chelation is possible in the transition state geometry for SmI(2)/ketone systems even in the presence of the sterically demanding ligand HMPA. After the addition of 4 equiv of HMPA the ET rate and activation parameters for ketone reduction by Sm is unaffected by further HMPA addition while a linear dependence of ET rate on the equivalents of HMPA was found in the SmI(2)/alkyl iodide system. The results of these studies are consistent with an inner-sphere-type ET for the reduction of ketones by SmI(2) (and SmI(2)[bond]HMPA complexes) and an outer-sphere-type ET for the reduction of alkyl iodides by SmI(2) or SmI(2)[bond]HMPA complexes.     

Electro-optic properties of thiol-ene polymer stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystals

Electro-optic properties of polymer stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystal (PSFLC) systems are examined as a function of varying concentrations of either a linear or crosslinked thiol-ene polymer. The thiol-ene method of polymer stabilization is a drastic change from previous studies designed to avert the problem of polymer phase separation. FLC rise time and tilt angle measurements were used to determine the effects of the polymer network on the optical properties of the system. The addition of monomer impurities to both systems demonstrated a reduction in tilt angle, which translated into decreased switching speeds in both systems prior to polymerization. The crosslinked thiol-ene system showed increased switching times due to the creation of polymer in the interlayer spacing of the FLC, but exhibited minimal increase in the rotational viscosity of the system. In addition, the crosslinked polymer systems resulted in an increase in the liquid crystalline order, which produced an increase in the contrast ratio of the system. The linear polymer system showed drastically different results as compared with the crosslinked system. The rise time and tilt angle measurements decreased upon polymerization of the linear thiol-ene and the rotational viscosity and contrast ratio values also decreased. We suggest that the linear thiol-ene polymer phase separation from the interlayer spacing leads to a microscopic misalignment of the FLC molecules, causing a decrease in the optical properties of the LC.