Synthesis and aqueous solution properties of sterically stabilized pH-responsive polyampholyte microgels

Emulsion copolymerization of poly(methacrylic acid) and poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PMAA/PDEA) yielded pH-responsive polyampholyte microgels of 200-300 nm in diameter. These microgels showed enhanced hydrophilic behavior in aqueous medium at low and high pH, but formed large aggregates of approximately 2500 nm at intermediate pH. To achieve colloidal stability at intermediate pH, a second batch of microgels of identical monomer composition were synthesized, where monomethoxy-capped poly(ethylene glycol)methacrylate (PEGMA) was grafted onto the surface of these particles. Dynamic light-scattering measurements showed that the hydrodynamic radius, Rh, of sterically stabilized microgels was approximately 100 nm at intermediate pH and increased to 120 and 200 nm at pH 2 and 10, respectively. Between pH 4 and 6, these microgels possessed mobility close to zero and a negative second virial coefficient, A2, due to overall charge neutralization near the isoelectric pH. From the Rh, mobility, and A2, cross-linked MAA-DEA microgels with and without PEGMA retained their polyampholytic properties in solution. By varying the composition of MAA and DEA in the microgel, it is possible to vary the isoelectric point of the colloidal particles. These new microgels are being explored for use in the delivery of DNA and proteins.     

Efficient synthesis of sterically stabilized pH-responsive microgels of controllable particle diameter by emulsion polymerization

Emulsion polymerization of 2-vinylpyridine (2VP) in the presence of divinylbenzene (DVB) cross-linker, a cationic surfactant, and a hydrophilic macromonomer, monomethoxy-capped poly(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (PEGMA), at around neutral pH and 60 degrees C afforded near-monodisperse, sterically stabilized latexes at approximately 10% solids. Judicious selection of the synthesis parameters enabled the mean latex diameter to be varied over an unusually wide range for one-shot batch syntheses. Scanning electron microscopy studies confirmed near-monodisperse spherical morphologies, with mean weight-average particle diameters ranging from 370 to 970 nm depending on the initiator, polymeric stabilizer, and surfactant concentrations. Particle sizing studies were also conducted using disk centrifuge photosedimentometry and dynamic light scattering and gave similar data. These lightly cross-linked latexes acquired cationic microgel character at low pH, as expected. The critical pH for this latex-to-microgel transition was around pH 4.1 at 1.0 wt % DVB, which is significantly lower than the pKa of 4.92 estimated for linear P2VP homopolymer by acid titration. 1H NMR and aqueous electrophoresis studies indicated that substantial swelling occurred at low pH due to protonation of the 2VP groups, while dynamic light scattering (DLS) studies indicated volumetric swelling ratios of up to 3 orders of magnitude, depending on the initial latex diameter. Systematic variation of the degree of cross-linking led to a monotonic decrease in the pKa values of the P2VP latexes (as judged by acid titration) and also the critical swelling pH (as judged by visual inspection). This was attributed to the increasingly branched nature of the P2VP chains in their swollen microgel form. Preliminary studies of the kinetics of acid-induced swelling were also conducted using the pH jump method in conjunction with a stopped-flow apparatus. These P2VP latexes swell significantly faster than P2VP latexes described in the literature and the characteristic time scales observed in the present study are much closer to those predicted by the Tanaka equation.     

From polyelectrolyte to polyampholyte microgels: comparison of swelling properties

We report the results of comparative studies of the swelling behavior of polyelectrolyte (PE) and polyampholyte (PA) microgels in response to pH, ionic strength, temperature, and solvent composition. Polyelectrolyte microgels used were cross-linked binary copolymers of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (polyNIPAm) and acrylic acid (AA) or vinyl imidazole (VI). The PA microgels with an excess of either cationic or anionic groups swelled at low or high pH values, respectively, analogous to PE microgels. The PA microgels with similar amounts of AA and VI groups exhibited marked swelling at both high and low pH values. All PA microgels shrank in the intermediate range of pH due to electrostatic attraction between charged AA and VI moieties. In moderately concentrated salt solutions, PA microgels underwent swelling showing antipolyelectrolyte behavior. The extent of swelling of PA microgels increased with rise in AA content. The temperature-dependent contraction of both PE and PA microgels occurred at higher temperatures when AA and VI groups were charged and hydrophilic. Ion pairing between the AA and VI groups increased the extent of the temperature-induced deswelling in PA microgels. The solvent-dependent swelling of PE and PA microgels in ethanol–water mixtures was governed by competing electrostatic and cosolvency effects.

pH-induced deswelling kinetics of sterically stabilized poly(2-vinylpyridine) microgels probed by stopped-flow light scattering

Near-monodisperse, sterically stabilized poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP) microgels were synthesized by emulsion polymerization. These particles exhibited completely reversible pH-responsive swelling/deswelling behavior in aqueous solution. Stopped-flow light scattering was employed to investigate the kinetics of pH-induced deswelling in highly dilute dispersions. Upon a pH jump from 2 to various final solution pH values (>or=5.4), the scattered light intensity of an aqueous dispersion of a 1,960 nm microgel exhibited an abrupt initial increase, followed by a gradual decrease to the final equilibrium value. The whole microgel-to-latex deswelling process occurred over time scales of approximately 0.5-1.0 s, which is much slower than the kinetics for latex-to-microgel swelling. The microgel deswelling kinetics depends on the final pH, with a higher final pH leading to a faster rate of shrinkage. Close inspection of the deswelling kinetics during the early stages (<0.2 s) revealed that initial microgel collapse occurred within approximately 50 ms, with more rapid transitions being observed when higher final pH values were targeted. Addition of external salt significantly accelerates the kinetics of deswelling. Systematic studies of the microgel-to-latex transition for a series of six near-monodisperse P2VP particles (with swollen microgel diameters ranging from 1270 to 4230 nm) has also been investigated. The characteristic deswelling time for initial microgel collapse, tau deswell, correlated fairly well with the initial swollen microgel radius, R, in agreement with the Tanaka equation. Moreover, the collective diffusion coefficient of the gel network, D, calculated from the slope of the tau deswell- R (2) curve, was of the order of 10 (-7) cm (2) s (-1).     

Inverse microemulsion polymerization of oil-soluble monomers in the presence of hydrophilic polyacrylamide nanoparticles

A new method for preparation of modified polymer particles in two steps was proposed. Free radical polymerization of an oil soluble vinyl monomer like butyl acrylate in inverse microemulsion containing polyacrylamide particles led to the formation of modified, partly hydrophobized, polyacrylamide particles. For the first step of the process (preparation of polyacrylamide particles in inverse microemulsion) is typical a very high polymerization rate while for the second step (polymerization of an oil soluble monomer (methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, styrene) in the presence of polyacrylamide particles in inverse microemulsion, the reverse is true. The polymerization of an oil soluble monomer in some instances leads to the formation of 2-phase or even 3-phase disperse systems. The polymeric products obtained after precipitation of the polymer particles from the inverse microemulsions by ethanol were extracted by water and/or toluene and analyzed for acrylamide content. The separated polymer product contained high content of acrylamide, AAm/oil soluble monomer (butyl acrylate BA, or styrene, S) copolymer (85% of AAm/BA, ≈ 99% of AAm/S) besides relatively small amounts of homopolymers of oil soluble monomers (15% of BA, ≈ 1% of S homopolymers).     

Semicontinuous microemulsion polymerization

Batch microemulsion polymerization is a process that allows the synthesis of oil-soluble and water-soluble nanoparticles, nanocomposites and nanogels smaller than ca. 50 nm with larger molecular weights (ca. 10⁷ g/mol); however, the large amounts of surfactant required by this process to produce small amounts of polymer have hindered its industrial scaling. Semicontinuous O/W and W/O microemulsion polymerizations allow increasing the polymer content without adding more surfactant to the original reacting formulation. The several schemes of semicontinuous microemulsion polymerization that have been proposed, semibatch, semicontinuous feeding or lot additions of monomer to the reacting microemulsion, are reviewed here. Semicontinuous inverse microemulsion polymerization, which is a process to synthesized water-soluble polymer nanoparticles that have important applications as superabsorbents and flocculants, are also reviewed. Moreover, alternative processes, denoted by our group as normal and inverse semicontinuous heterophase polymerizations, which allows the synthesis of even larger concentration of polymer employing smaller amounts of surfactant compared to microemulsion polymerization, are examined.     

Poly(n-hexyl methacrylate) polymerization in three-component microemulsion stabilized by a cationic surfactant

The polymerization of n-hexyl methacrylate (n-HMA) in three-component microemulsion stabilized with dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) is reported as a function of monomer and initiator concentrations and temperature. The obtained latices were bluish, transparent, and translucent. Particle sizes and molar masses were on the order of 20 nm and 3 x 10(6) g/mol, respectively. In all cases, high reaction rates and final conversions of 98% were obtained. Polymerization temperature has a strong effect on reaction rate and conversion.     

The preparation of sterically stabilized polymer dispersions

The emulsion polymerizations of styrene (St) and butyl acrylate (BA) stabilized by nonionic polyoxyethylene type emulsifiers did not show the long stationary rate interval. This was discussed in terms of two opposing effects: 1) the decreased monomer concentration at the reaction loci due to the depletion of monomer droplets or depressed monomer droplet degradation and 2) the increased number of polymer particles with increasing conversion. The continuous particle nucleation is attributed to the continuous release of emulsifier from the emulsifier saturated monomer droplets and/or the presence of monomer swollen micelles (microdroplets). The limited particle flocculation operative at lower emulsifier concentrations increases the nonstationary-state polymerization. The particle agglomeration is accompanied by the increased reaction order x (N_p vs. [E]^x) above 0.6. The increased uniformity of monomer emulsion stabilized by Tween 20 by homogenization of monomer emulsion increased the final conversion and the polymerization rate as well. The polymerization rate vs. conversion curve of the homogenized emulsion characterized with broader stationary rate interval reminds the four rate intervals system typical for miniemulsion. The accumulation of polymer and nonionic emulsifier within the monomer phase preserves the monomer droplets up to high conversion. The decreased monomer droplet degradation rises the monomer-starved condition or the depressed transport of both monomer and emulsifier to the reaction loci.     

Viscoelastic properties of sterically stabilized nonaqueous dispersions

The viscoelastic properties of a dispersion of poly(vinyl acetate) particles sterically stabilized by poly(2-ethyl hexyl methacrylate) and dispersed in Isopar G have been measured as a function of particle concentration and frequency at ambient temperature.At low particle concentrations, it was found that the loss modulus was larger than the storage modulus, while at high particle concentrations, i.e.,w>0.40, the storage modulus was found to be larger than the loss modulus. This inversion from a viscous to an elastic response as a function of particle concentration is attributable to the change in the configurational entropy of the steric barrier as a result of increasing the concentration of particles in the dispersion.     

Effect of chemical composition on properties of pH-responsive poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) microgels prepared by inverse microemulsion polymerization

In this research, a series of pH-responsive microgels based on acrylamide (AM), acrylic acid (AA) as the main monomers, and N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide as a divinyl cross-linking agent, have been prepared by inverse microemulsion polymerization. The effect of chemical composition of poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (P(AM-co-AA)) on hydrodynamic diameters, morphology, swelling ratios and pH-responsive behaviour and thermal properties of microgels were discussed. With an increase of the mole percentages of AA in the feed ratio, the microgels have higher swelling ratios. The TEM photographs show that the spherical morphology of the microgels are regular relatively. Comparing with PAM microgels, number-average diameters of P(AM-co-AA) microgels were larger because of the presence of AA chain segment in the polymer chain. Turbidities of microgels determined through UV–vis spectrophotometer indicate that the microgels exhibit favourable pH-responsive behaviour, and responsive pH value is related to the dissociation constant of AA. Moreover, thermal stable properties of microgels were confirmed by differential scanning calorimeter. It was observed that an increase in the mole percentages of AA in the feed ratio provided lower glass transition temperature and thermal decomposition temperature of pH-responsive microgels.     

Modeling inverse microemulsion polymerization

A mathematical model for inverse microemulsion polymerization has been developed. The model has been used to fit experimental results of the effect of initiator concentration, light intensity, emulsifier concentration, and dispersed phase weight fraction on the monomer conversion evolution, particle size, and polymer molecular weight in the inverse microemulsion polymerization of 2-methacryloyl oxyethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (MADQUAT) initiated by UV light in the presence of AIBN. A good fitting of the experimental data was achieved. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 2167–2178, 1999     

Emulsifier for microemulsion polymerization

 By introducing an hydroxyl group and a lipophilic branch into the middle of lipophilic head of emulsifier 12-oxy-9-octadecenoic acid, a new emulsifier was synthesized and applied in microemulsion polymerization. When the emulsifier content in the microemulsion was kept to about 12%, the highest monomer content in microemulsion could achieve 35% for BA, 20% for St and MMA. The microemulsion with high monomer content remained clear after polymerization, and the average diameters of polymer particles were 38.9 nm for St microemulsion, 47.4 nm for BA, and 50.7 nm for MMA. Received: 18 November 1997 Accepted: 16 January 1998     

The shear viscosity of polyampholyte (gelatin) stabilized colloidal dispersions

A micromechanical model for the zero shear viscosity of polyampholyte-stabilized colloidal dispersions based on the osmotic overlap potential is proposed and tested against model system measurements. This model relates the shear viscosity of polyampholyte-stabilized colloidal dispersions to the oncotic pressure of polyampholyte solutions through an interparticle potential and an effective hard-sphere scaling. The results of viscosity calculations based on independently measured parameters compare favorably to experimental measurements on model, silica dispersions stabilized with adsorbed photographic grade gelatin. The results support a direct link between the capacity of polyampholytes and polyelectrolytes to stabilize dispersions and control dispersion viscosity and their solution oncotic pressure. The model is also demonstrated to provide a master curve for literature data for the zero shear viscosity of polyampholyte stabilized colloidal dispersions.     

Novel emulsions stabilized by pH and temperature sensitive microgels

Surfactant-free oil-in-water emulsions prepared with temperature and pH sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)(PNIPAM) microgel particles offer unprecedented control of emulsion stability.     

Synthesis of random polyampholyte brushes by atom transfer radical polymerization

We report the synthesis of random polyampholyte brushes containing 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) and methacrylic acid (MAA). The preparation of polyampholyte brushes is performed by the “grafting from” strategy using surface‐initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The first step consists in the formation of the self‐assembled monolayer of the ATRP initiator. Secondly, the chains are grown from the surface by controlled/“living” radical polymerization. The random copolymer brushes and the corresponding homopolymers brushes containing 2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate and tert‐butyl methacrylate (^tBuMA) are prepared. The last step is the deprotection of the ^tBuMA form to the MAA segment by in situ hydrolysis reaction. The annealed DMAEMA group can also be converted to the quenched form by in situ quaternization reaction. This results in the formation of “annealed” and “semiannealed” polyampholyte brushes. The “annealed” polyampholyte corresponds to the random copolymer that contains only annealed units, weak acid and weak base. The “semiannealed” polyampholyte consists of the mixture of annealed (weak acid) and quenched (quaternized segment) units. Polyampholyte brushes with various grafting densities are synthesized and carefully characterized using surface techniques such as ellipsometry and FTIR‐ATR. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 4305–4319, 2008     

Polyamine-functional sterically stabilized latexes for covalently cross-linkable colloidosomes

Sterically stabilized polystyrene latexes were prepared by aqueous emulsion polymerization using a poly(ethylene imine) (PEI) stabilizer in the presence of 4-vinylbenzyl chloride (4-VBC; 1.0 wt % based on styrene). Partial quaternization of the amine groups on the PEI chains by 4-VBC occurs in situ, hence producing a chemically grafted steric stabilizer. Such 4-VBC-modified PEI chains were grafted more efficiently onto the polystyrene particles than unmodified PEI, as judged by aqueous electrophoresis, XPS, and nitrogen microanalysis. Moreover, partially quaternized PEI gave significantly smaller polystyrene particles than those synthesized in the absence of any PEI stabilizer or those synthesized using unmodified PEI. The partially quaternized PEI-stabilized polystyrene latex proved to be an effective emulsifier at pH 9, forming stable oil-in-water Pickering emulsions when homogenized (12,000 rpm, 2 min, 20 °C) with four model oils, namely, n-dodecane, methyl myristate, isononyl isononanoate, and sunflower oil. The primary and/or secondary amine groups on the PEI stabilizer chains were successfully cross-linked using three commercially available polymeric reagents, namely, tolylene 2,4-diisocyanate-terminated poly(propylene glycol) (PPG-TDI), poly(propylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PPG-DGE), or poly(ethylene glycol) diglycidyl ether (PEG-DGE). Cross-linking with the former reagent led to robust colloidosomes that survived the removal of the internal oil phase on washing with excess alcohol, as judged by optical microscopy and SEM. PPG-TDI reacted very rapidly with the PEI stabilizer chains, with cross-linking being achieved during homogenization. Well-defined colloidosomes could be formed only by using sunflower oil and isononyl isononanoate with this cross-linker at 20 °C. However, cooling to 0 °C allowed colloidosomes to be formed using n-dodecane, presumably because of the slower rate of cross-linking at this reduced temperature. PPG-DGE proved to be a more generic cross-linker because it formed robust colloidosomes with all four model oils. However, cross-linking was much slower than that achieved using PPG-TDI, with intact colloidosomes being formed only after ～12 h at 20 °C. The PEG-DGE cross-linker allowed cross-linking to be conducted at 20 °C from the aqueous phase (rather from within the oil droplets for the oil-soluble PPG-TDI or PPG-DGE cross-linkers). In this case, well-defined colloidosomes were obtained at 50 vol % with surprisingly little intercolloidosome aggregation, as judged by laser diffraction studies.     

Micellar nucleation differential microemulsion polymerization

Polymer nanoparticles within the range of 2–5 nm with a solid content of more than 13 wt.% and a narrow molecular weight polydispersity (Mw/Mn ∼ 1.1) were for the first time prepared using a micellar nucleation differential microemulsion polymerization system emulsified by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), with SDS/monomer (methyl methacrylate) and SDS/H₂O weight ratios of up to 1:16 and 1:100, respectively. It was found that for benzoyl peroxide (BPO), micellar nucleation is more favorable for the synthesis of smaller polymer nanoparticles than ammonium persulfate (APS) which gives rise to homogeneous nucleation and 2,2′-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) which involves partially heterogeneous nucleation. In the polymerization process, there exists a critical stability concentration (CSC) of SDS, above which the size of the nanoparticles is to be minimized and stabilized. With an increase in the monomer addition rate, the polymerization system changes from a microemulsion system to an emulsion system. A mechanism was proposed to describe the micellar nucleation process of differential microemulsion polymerization. This study may contribute to the development of fine polymer nanoparticles for drug delivery systems.     

Synthesis of polyampholyte microgels from colloidal salts of pectinic acid and their application as pH-responsive emulsifiers

A novel method for obtaining cross-linked microgels of apple pectin has been introduced. This method is based on the Ugi four-component condensation in colloidal suspensions of pectinic acid and amines. Using various processing parameters (the polysaccharide concentration, the type and density of crosslink, and the optimal pH range), particles with controlled colloidal properties have been obtained. Lightly cross-linked polysaccharide chains acquire anionic character due to deprotonation of the carboxyl groups at pH?9–10. Increasing the degree of cross-linking leads to a polyampholyte microgel, which can be protonated in acidic medium or deprotonated in basic medium. Polyampholyte microgels derived from apple pectin have proved to be an effective Pickering emulsifier at low concentrations and pH?2–3, forming stable oil-in-water emulsions. These Pickering emulsions exhibited pH-responsive behavior: raising the solution pH to 10 resulted in immediate demulsification due to the destabilization of microgel network at the oil–water interface.     

Preparation of sterically stabilized gold nanoparticles for plasmonic applications

Plasmonic nanoparticles such as those of gold or silver have been recently investigated as a possible way to improve light absorption in thin film solar cells. Here, a simple method for the preparation of spherical plasmonic gold nanoparticles in the form of a colloidal solution is presented. The nanoparticle diameter is controlled in the range from several nm to tens of nm depending on the synthesis parameters with the size dispersion down to 14 %. The synthesis is based on thermal decomposition and reduction of the chloroauric acid in the presence of a stabilizing capping agent (surfactant) that is very slowly injected into the hot solvent. The surfactant prevents uncontrolled nanoparticle aggregation during the growth process. The nanoparticle size and shape depend on the type of the stabilizing agent. Surfactants with different lengths of the hydrocarbon chains such as Z-octa-9-decenylamine (oleylamine) with AgNO₃ and polyvinylpyrrolidone with AgNO₃ were used for the steric stabilization. Hydrodynamic diameter of the gold nanoparticles in the colloidal solution was determined by dynamic light scattering while the size of the nanoparticle metallic core was found by small-angle X-ray scattering. The UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometer measurements revealed a plasmon resonance absorption in the 500–600 nm range. Self-assembled nanoparticle arrays on a silicon substrate were prepared by drop casting followed by spontaneous evaporation of the solvent and by a modified Langmuir-Blodgett deposition. The degree of perfection of the self-assembled arrays was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering. Homogeneous close-packed hexagonal ordering of the nanoparticles stretching over large areas was evidenced. These results document the viability of the proposed nanoparticle synthesis for the preparation of high-quality plasmonic templates for thin film solar cells with enhanced power conversion efficiency, surface enhanced Raman scattering, and other applications.     

Ultrasonically induced microemulsion polymerization of styrene

In this paper, ultrasonically induced microemulsion polymerization of styrene was successfully performed, possessing many merits such as high polymerization rate, the formation of small latex particles with a narrow size distribution, the absence of initiator and relatively low surfactant concentration. The monomer conversion reached 70% in 1 h, and the average diameter of polystyrene (PS) latex was about 30 nm which could be prepared with 3% surfactant (sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS) concentration. The molecular weight of PS was around 10⁶ and the poly-distribution index was 1.06, indicating a very narrow distribution. Several influencing factors were investigated in detail, showing that ultrasonically induced microemulsion polymerization is a new route to prepare PS nanoparticles.