Effect of surfactants on temperature-dependent self-assembling property of copolyethylenimine/cinnamic acid aqueous mixture

The transmittance of polyethylenimine (PEI)/cinnamic acid (CA) aqueous mixture was close to zero at 20–40°C, and it began to increase around 40°C due to the disassembling of the self-assembly of the PEI/CA conjugate. As the concentration of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) increased, the increasing rate of the transmittance decreased and the onset temperature increased, indicating that the self-assembly of the PEI/CA conjugate became more stable against heat with the aid of SDS. Tween 20 could also suppress the thermally induced disassembling of the self-assembly, possibly because poly(ethylene oxide) chains of the surfactant could be entangled with the PEI chains. Dodecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (DTAB) did not have an effect on the temperature-dependent self-assembling phenomena as much as SDS and Tween 20 did. The interfacial tension of the PEI/CA/SDS aqueous mixture and that of the PEI/CA/Tween 20 aqueous mixture at 70°C were lower than the respective tensions observed at 25°C. On the contrary, the interfacial tension of the PEI/CA/DTAB aqueous mixture at 70°C was higher than that observed at 25°C, possibly because the PEI/CA conjugate could lose its surface activity at the higher temperature due to the adsorption of DTAB on CA molecules.     

pH- and cinnamic acid-triggerable dioleoylphophatidylethanolamine liposome bearing polyethyleneimine/palmitic acid mixture

pH and cinnamic acid (CA)-triggerable liposome was prepared by stabilizing dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) bilayer with polyethyleneimine (PEI)/palmitic acid (PA) mixture. PEI/PA mixture was air/water interface-active, possibly due to the formation of PEI/PA salt conjugate. When the weight ratio of DOPE to PEI/PA mixture was 200:1, 100:1, 50:1, and 20:1, the fluorescence quenching degree of calcein loaded in the DOPE/PEI/PA assembly prepared using PBS (10 mM, pH 7.4) was 70.7%, 68.7%, 35.3%, and 14%, respectively, indicating that DOPE could be assembled into liposome at the physiological pH value with the aid of the PEI/PA mixture. The hydrodynamic mean diameter of liposome increased from 289 nm to 702 nm on increasing the weight ratio of the DOPE to PEI/PA mixture, possibly because of the bulky PEI chains. The release degree in 120 seconds at pH 4.5, pH 6.0, pH 7.4, and pH 9.0 was about 85%, 24.1%, 10.1%, and 62.0%, respectively, when the suspension of liposome of which the DOPE to PEI/PA mixture weight ratio was 50:1 (pH 7.4) was injected into the release medium of different pH values. The triggered release upon the acidification (i.e., pH 7.4–4.5) and the alkalization (i.e., pH 7.4–9.0) was possibly because PA and PEI were deionized under acidic and alkali conditions, respectively; thus the salt bridge of PEI/PA conjugate could break down. The DOPE liposome also exhibited CA-triggered release. The release degree in 120 seconds at 25°C was 23.1% and it was higher than the release degree at 50°C, 10.9%, possibly because CA could render PEI chains condensed and assembled under upper the critical solution temperature.     

In situ real-time monitoring of a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol a epoxy resin modified with poly(etherimide)/polysulphone blends by simultaneous dielectric/near-infrared spectroscopy

Simultaneous dielectric and near infrared measurements were performed in “real-time” to follow polymerisation reactions on blends of a diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy resin with 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM) hardener and a mixture of polysulphone (PSU) and polyetherimide (PEI) as modifier. All the blends had a 10 wt% of PSU/PEI mixture. The effect of the PEI/PSU ratio in the mixture was studied. Monitoring of the α-relaxation (related to vitrification) was performed by dielectric measurements, while epoxy conversion was followed by near infrared spectroscopy. The effect of the PEI/PSU ratio on this behaviour was studied, as well as that of the curing temperature. Obtained results were compared with that of the blends with neat PSU and PEI as modifiers.     

聚乙烯亚胺-金属络合物的稳定常数及配位数的测定

将聚合物络合超滤(PC-UF)技术与电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)结合, 利用化学理论计算模型, 建立了测定聚乙烯亚胺(PEI)与金属离子络合稳定常数及平均配位数的方法. 将该方法用于PEI与Cd²⁺的络合过程. 配制不同浓度比的PEI和Cd²⁺的混合溶液, 待络合反应平衡后, 用超滤离心管离心分离高分子PEI-Cd络合物, 自由离子Cd²⁺及其小分子络合物渗滤至滤液中; 用10 mL体积分数为3%稀硝酸将滤膜上截留的PEI-Cd络合物解离, 离心得到Cd²⁺的稀硝酸溶液; 用ICP-MS分别测定2次超滤后滤液中Cd²⁺的浓度, 利用化学理论模型进行计算, 得到PEI-Cd络合物的稳定常数和平均配位数. pH=4.0～5.9时, PEI-Cd络合平衡的研究结果表明, 稳定常数和平均配位数均随pH值的增大而增大, 较低程度的质子化可使PEI与Cd²⁺的络合能力增强, 络合稳定常数增大.     

Phase separation during synthesis of polyetherimide/epoxy semi-IPNs

The phase separation behavior and the morphology of polyetherimide (PEI)-modified diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) epoxy resin were studied using scanning electron microscopy and light scattering. Reaction kinetics, cloud point and onset of gelation were determined by differential scanning calorimeter, optical microscope and physica rheometer, respectively. The mixture of partially cured epoxy and PEI showed bimodal upper critical solution temperature (UCST) behavior. For PEI content smaller than 10 wt%, the blends exhibited a sea-island morphology formed via nucleation and a growth mechanism. Above 25 wt% PEI content, the phase separation proceeded via a spinodal decomposition mechanism and a nodular structure was formed. With PEI content between 15 and 20 wt%, dual phase morphology was observed. This morphology was formed via primary spinodal decomposition and secondary phase separation within the dispersed phases and the matrix phases formed by the primary phase separation. This morphology was presumed to be formed in the reaction-induced phase separation mechanism with the mixture showing bimodal UCST behavior. The curing temperature had an effect on the final morphology, and the modulus of PEI-modified epoxy was influenced by the phase separation.     

Influence of the polyelectrolyte poly(ethyleneimine) on the adsorption of surfactant mixtures of sodium dodecyl sulfate and monododecyl hexaethylene glycol at the air-solution interface

The polyelectrolyte poly(ethylenenimine), PEI, is shown to strongly influence the adsorption of the anionic-nonionic surfactant mixture of sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS, and monododecyl hexaethylene glycol, C(12)E(6), at the air-solution interface. In the presence of PEI, the partitioning of the mixed surfactants to the interface is highly pH-dependent. The adsorption is more strongly biased to the SDS as the pH increases, as the PEI becomes a weaker polyelectrolyte. At surfactant concentrations >10(-4) M, the strong interaction and adsorption result in multilayer formation at the interface, and this covers a more extensive range of surfactant concentrations at higher pH values. The results are consistent with a strong interaction between SDS and PEI at the surface that is not predominantly electrostatic in origin. It provides an attractive route to selectively manipulate the adsorption and composition of surfactant mixtures at interfaces.     

Charge selective encapsulation by polymeric micelles with cationic,anionic, or zwitterionic cores

Polymeric micelles showing charge selective and pH‐reversible encapsulation are reported. It is found that for a guest mixture of organic cationic–anionic dyes, a unimolecular micelle (PEI@PS) with a polystyrene (PS) as shell and a hyperbranched polyethylenimine (PEI) as core can exclusively entrap the anionic one; and a physical micelle consisting of brush‐like macromolecule (mPS‐PAA) with multi PS‐b‐polyacrylic acid (PAA) as grafts can exclusively entrap the cationic one. A covalent micelle (PEI‐COOH@PS) bearing a zwitterionic core, that is, PEI covalently derived with dense carboxylic acids, can undergo highly pH‐switchable charge selective and pH‐reversible encapsulation. Both PEI@PS and mPS‐PAA can be used for highly charge‐selective separation of ionic dyes but the pH‐reversibility of the encapsulation is relatively limited. In contrast, PEI‐COOH@PS is less effective to differentiate the anionic–cationic dyes but is well recyclable. A physical micelle obtained from the self‐assembly of PEI and mPS‐PAA shows similar property to PEI‐COOH@PS. The combination of these micelles in mixture separation can enhance the recyclability of the micelle and widen the spectrum of mixtures that can be well separated. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Mixed micelles of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and poly(ethylene glycol)-600 monolaurate as catalysts of polyethylenimine phosphorylation in chloroform

Micelle formation in a cetyltrimethylammonium bromide-poly(ethylene glycol)-600 monolaurate-chloroform system in the absence and presence of hydroxybenzylated polyethylenimines (PEI) was studied by dielcometric titration, NMR self-diffusion, light scattering, and kinetic methods. A catalytic effect of mixed micelles on the reaction of 4-nitrophenylbis(chloromethyl)phosphinate with PEI was shown. The catalytic effect depends on the degree of substitution of PEI and composition of a surfactant mixture. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1359–1365, August, 2006.     

Preparation and characterization of polyethyleneimine modified ion-exchanger based on poly(methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) monolith

A polyethyleneimine (PEI) modified ion-exchanger was prepared based on poly(methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) monolith cast in 100 mm x 4.6 mm I.D. stainless steel tube with heptane as the porogenic solvent at 65 degrees C for 12 h. The pores larger than 500 nm presented 85% of total pore volume of PEI monolith and provided the better permeability for separation. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) binding capacity on the column was enhanced with increasing the molecular weight of PEI, indicated that the brush ligand emanated from the surface and captured more protein by multiple binding sites. Titration experiment as well as BSA retention versus the pH of mobile phase showed that the monolith exhibited weak ion-exchange property, and recovered BSA on the monolith reached 97% when NaCl content in mobile phase was higher than 0.5 M. Frontal analysis and gradient elution of BSA indicated that PEI monolith provided the rapid mass transfer in chromatographic procedure, which made the dynamic binding capacities as well as column efficiency keep as constants at high operating flow rate. Fast separation of three mode proteins mixture (lysozyme, hemoglobin and BSA) on the monolith was achieved within 3 min at velocity of 1445 cm/h. This demonstrated the potential of PEI monolith for the rapid analysis and separation of proteins.     

Coadsorption of sodium dodecyl sulfate and a polyanion onto poly(ethylenimine) in multilayered thin films

Mixed surfactant-polyelectrolyte multilayer films were fabricated by both ionic self-assembly and spin assembly. A polycation [PEI = poly(ethylenimine)] was deposited from a dilute solution, while a polyanion (PAZO = poly[1-[4-(3-carboxy-4-hydroxyphenylazo) benzenesulfonamido]-1,2-ethanediyl, sodium salt]) was deposited from a mixture containing a fixed concentration of polyanion and various concentrations of the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Coadsorption of SDS and PAZO onto PEI layers was observed using both deposition methods and attributed to strong PEI-SDS interactions and entropic factors. Increasing the concentration of SDS resulted in films containing progressively less adsorbed PAZO. No further reduction in the amount of adsorbed PAZO was observed above the SDS critical micelle concentration. We attribute the film growth behavior to a fast adsorption of SDS onto PEI, followed by a slower adsorption of PAZO onto the remaining unoccupied binding sites. We observe that SDS interpenetrates throughout the PAZO and PEI layers, increasing the surface hydrophobicity of both. We observed similar behavior for both ionically self-assembled and spin-assembled systems.     

The effects of the addition of the polyelectrolyte, poly(ethyleneimine), on the adsorption of mixed surfactants of sodium dodecylsulfate and dodecyldimethylaminoacetate at the air-water interface

The effects of the addition of the polyelectrolyte, poly(ethyleneimine), PEI, on the adsorption of the mixed surfactants of sodium dodecylsulfate, SDS, and dodecyldimethylaminoacetate, dodecyl betaine, at the air-water interface have been investigated using neutron reflectivity and surface tension. In the absence of PEI the SDS and dodecyl betaine surfactants strongly interact and exhibit synergistic adsorption at the air-water interface. The addition of PEI, at pH 7 and 10, results in a significant modification of the surface partitioning of the SDS/dodecyl betaine mixture. The strong surface interaction at high pH (pH 7 and 10) between the PEI and SDS dominates the surface behavior. For solution compositions in the range 20/80-80/20 mol ratio dodecyl betaine/SDS at pH 7 the surface composition is strongly biased towards the SDS. At pH 10 a similar behavior is observed for a solution composition of 50/50 mol ratio dodecyl betaine/SDS. This strong partitioning in favor of the SDS at high pH is attributed to the strong ion-dipole attraction between the SDS sulfate and the PEI imine groups. At pH 3, where the electrostatic interactions between the surfactant and the PEI are dominant, the dodecyl betaine more effectively competes with the SDS for the interface, and the surface composition is much closer to the solution composition.     

Glass transition,crystallization, and morphology relationships in miscible poly(aryl ether ketones) and poly(ether imide) blends

The relationships among glass transition, crystallization, melting, and crystal morphology of poly(aryl ether ketone) (PAEK)/poly(other imide) (PEI) blends was studied by thermal, optical and small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) methods. Two types of PAEK were chosen for this work: poly(aryl ether ether ketone), PEEK, and poly(aryl ether ketone ketone), PEKK, which have distinctly different crystallization rates. Both PAEKs show complete miscibility with PEI in the amorphous phase. As PAEK crystallizes, the noncrystallizable PEI component is rejected from the crystalline region, resulting in a broad amorphous population, which was indicated by the broadening and the increase of T_g over that of the purely amorphous mixture. The presence of the PEI component significantly decreases the bulk crystallization and crystal growth rate of PAEK, but the equilibrium melting temperature and crystal surface free energies are not affected. The morphology of the PEI segregation was investigated by SAXS measurements. The results indicated that the inter(lamellar-bundle) PEI trapping morphology was dominant in the PEEK/PEI blends under rapid crystallization conditions, whereas the interspherulitic morphology was dominant in the slow crystallizing PEKK/PEI blends. These morphologies were qualitatively explained by the expression δ=D/G, where G was the crystal growth rate and D was the mutual diffusion coefficient. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Self-optimization of binding sites by Ni(II) ion on carboxypyrazine-containing poly(ethylenimine)

To test the concept of self-optimization of own binding site by a metal ion, host molecules for Ni(II) ion were built on poly(ethylenimine) (PEI) by using the ethylenediamine portions of PEI and 2-carboxypyrazinyl (CP) group. Two derivatives of PEI containing CP were prepared: one by random acylation of PEI with pyrazine-2,5-dicarboxylic acid mono-(2,5-dioxo-pyrrolidin-1-yl) ester (PC-DP), and the other by acylation of PEI with PC–DP in the presence of Ni(II) ion. Between these two CP derivatives of PEI, Ni(II) binding ability was more than 10³ times greater for the latter. Optimization by Ni(II) ion of its own binding site built on the polymer was attributed to the preassemblage of PC–DP and PEI with Ni(II) ion and the subsequent attack at PC–DP by an amino group of PEI located in an optimal position. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 533–537, 1997.     

Electric field-enhanced assembly of polyelectrolyte composite membranes

In this paper, a novel method was developed to enhance the assembly of polyelectrolyte composite membranes by inducing an electric field during electrostatic adsorption process. The hydrolyzed polyacrylonitrile (PAN) ultrafiltration (UF) membrane was placed in between a capacitor setup. The polyethyleneimine (PEI) was compulsorily assembled on the PAN support under the action of external electric force. Subsequently, the polyelectrolyte composite membranes were evaluated by pervaporation separation of water and alcohol mixture. The membrane obtained with only one PEI layer had a separation factor of 304 and a permeate flux of 512 g/m² h (75 °C) for pervaporation of 95 wt% ethanol–water mixture. An atomic force microscopy was also used to observe the microtopographical changes. The regularity of the membranes assembled by the new method was also improved in comparison with the membrane assembled by a dynamic layer-by-layer adsorption.     

Effect of tris(hydroxymethyl) aminomethane on the phase behavior of poly(ethylene imine)/cinnamic acid conjugate and the release property of cubic phase containing the conjugate

The upper critical solution temperature (UCST) of poly(ethylene imine)/cinnamic acid (PEI/CA) conjugate decreased as the tris(hydroxymethyl) aminomethane (THMAM) concentration increased. On the optical micrographs of PEI/CA mixture solutions at 25°C, the microspheres were found when the THMAM concentration was 0?mM and 100?mM, but hardly found at 200?mM. Monoolein (MO) cubic phase containing PEI, CA, and THMAM exhibited a bilayer structure on the TEM micrograph. The release degree of methylene blue loaded in the cubic phase was not strongly dependent on THMAM concentration at 25°C and 37°C, but strongly dependent on the concentration at 50°C.     

Polyethylenimine‐Based Nanogels for Biomedical Applications

Nanogels (NGs) are 3‐dimensional (3D) networks composed of hydrophilic or amphiphilic polymer chains, allowing for effective and homogeneous encapsulation of drugs, genes, or imaging agents for biomedical applications. Polyethylenimine (PEI), possessing abundant positively charged amine groups, is an ideal platform for the development of NGs. A variety of effective PEI‐based NGs have been designed and much effort has been devoted to study the relationship between the structure and function of the NGs. In particular, PEI‐based NGs can be prepared either using PEI as the major NG component or using PEI as a crosslinker. This review reports the recent progresses in the design of PEI‐based NGs for gene and drug delivery and for bioimaging applications with a target focus to tackle the diagnosis and therapy of cancer.     

Prussian blue-glutamate oxidase modified glassy carbon electrode: A sensitive l-glutamate and β-N-oxalyl-α,β-diaminopropionic acid (β-ODAP) sensor

A sensitive biosensor has been developed for the neurotoxin β-N-oxalyl-α,β-diaminopropionic acid (β-ODAP) contained in the seeds of grass pea (Lathyrus sativus) and for l-glutamate based on glutamate oxidase (GlOx) and a Prussian blue (PB) modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode. The configuration of the system is so as to detect the hydrogen peroxide released during the enzymatic cycle at a low applied potential, −50 mV versus Ag|AgCl, in the flow injection mode. For this purpose GlOx was coupled to PB electrodeposited onto a glassy carbon electrode and stabilised by treatment with tetrabutylammonium toluene-4-sulfonate (TTS) during one of the steps in the electrodeposition. GlOx was cross-linked with glutaraldehyde (GA), bovine serum albumin (BSA) and Tween-20 on the surface of the PB modified GC electrodes. Addition of 0.01% and 0.001% polyethyleneimine (PEI) to the immobilisation mixture resulted in an enhancement of the response signal with about 35% and 62% for glutamate and β-ODAP, respectively, when using 0.01% PEI and with 164% and 200% for glutamate and β-ODAP, respectively, when using 0.001% PEI. The linear response range for β-ODAP was extended from 0.05-0.5 mM to 0.01-1 mM, when 0.001% PEI was used. However, a higher concentration of PEI, 0.1%, caused a decrease in the sensitivity of the biosensor.     

Stimuli-responsive hydrogel hollow capsules by material efficient and robust cross-linking-precipitation synthesis revisited

Monodisperse stimuli-responsive hydrogel capsules were synthesized in the 100-nm-diameter to 10-μm-diameter range from poly(4-vinylpyridine) (P4VP) and poly(ethyleneimine) (PEI) through a simple, efficient two-step cross-linking-precipitation template method under conditions of a good solvent. In this method, the core-shell particles were obtained by the deposition (heterocoagulation mechanism) of the cross-linked P4VP, PEI, or their mixtures on the surfaces of the template colloidal silica particles in nitromethane (for PEI) or a nitromethane-acetone mixture (for P4VP and P4VP-PEI mixtures) in the presence of cross-linker 1,4-diiodobutane. The cross-linked polymeric shell swollen in a good solvent stabilized the core-shell colloids. This mechanism provided the conditions for the synthesis of core-shell colloids in a submicrometer range of dimensions with an easily adjusted shell thickness (wall of the capsules) ranging from a few to hundreds of nanometers. The chemical composition of the shell was tuned by varying the ratio of co-cross-linked shell-forming polymers (P4VP and PEI). In the second step, the hollow capsules were obtained by etching the silica core in HF solutions. In this step, the colloidal stability of the hollow capsules was provided by ionized P4VP and PEI cross-linked shells. The hollow capsules demonstrate that the pH- and ionic-strength-triggered swelling and shrinking result in size-selective uptake and release properties. Cross-linked via quaternized functional groups, P4VP capsules undergo swelling and shrinking transitions at a physiologically relevant pH of around 6. The 200-nm-diameter hollow capsule with 25-nm-thick walls demonstrated a factor of 2 greater capacity to accommodate cargo molecules than the core-shell particles of the same dimensions because of an internal compartment and a combination of radial and a circumferential swelling modes in the capsules.     

氧化石墨烯/聚电解质层层自组装制备单价离子选择性膜

采用层层自组装法在改性聚丙烯腈(PAN)膜表面交替沉积聚乙烯亚胺(PEI)和聚丙烯酸-氧化石墨烯(PAA-GO)混合液,制得了单价离子选择性复合膜。X射线衍射(XRD)测试结果表明成功合成了氧化石墨烯(GO)并在复合膜中均匀分散。扫描电镜(SEM)观察结果证实了多层聚电解质PEI/PAA-GO成功地组装在基膜上,并用紫外-可见(UV-Vis)光谱进一步证实了组装过程的均匀性和连续性。接触角和性能测试表明加入GO后,复合膜的亲水性和单价阳离子的选择性明显增大。这种高通量、高选择性的防污复合膜在分离和水的软化方面有很好的应用前景。     

Synthesis and property comparison of isomeric AB‐type homo‐ and copoly(etherimide)s

AB‐type homo‐ and copoly(etherimide)s were prepared by the polymerization of 3‐ and 4‐(3,4‐dicarboxyphenyloxy)aniline hydrochlorides ( 3A and 4A ) at 160 °C in dimethylacetamide in the presence of triethylamine and triphenyl phosphite. After the structures of the polymers were characterized, their solubilities, ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption behaviors, thermal properties, and crystallinities were measured, and these properties are discussed with respect to the structure of the homopolymers and the composition of the copolymers. Poly(etherimide) (PEI) derived from 3A [PEI( 3A )] was amorphous and soluble in chloroform on heating, whereas that derived from 4A [PEI( 4A )] was crystalline and insoluble in common organic solvents even on heating. In UV–vis absorption spectra, PEI( 4A ) showed a small bathochromic shift relative to N‐phenylphthalimide, but PEI(3A) did not. PEI(3A) revealed a glass‐transition temperature (T_g) at 195 °C, but no T_g was detectable for PEI( 4A ). All the measured physical properties of the copoly(etherimide)s showed a good dependence on their composition between PEI( 3A ) and PEI( 4A ). © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 38: 402–410, 2000