Formation of polymer vesicles by amphiphilic fluorosiloxane graft copolymers in solution

Amphiphilic fluorosiloxane graft copolymers with a poly(dimethylsiloxane)(PDMS) backbone,a hydrophobic fluorosiloxane side-chain and three hydrophilic poiyether side-chains were synthesized by hydrosilation reaction in this work.The micellization of amphiphilic graft copolymers in the water/ethanol solvent system was investigated,and vesicles with different size were formed after the self-assembly system was aged for different time.     

Group contributions to the thermodynamic properties of non-ionic organic solutes in dilute aqueous solution

The thermodynamic properties G _h ^o,H _h ^o, and C _p,h ^oassociated with the transfer of non-ionic organic compounds from gas to dilute aqueous solution and the limiting partial molar properties C _p ^o ,2 and V₂ ² of these compounds in water are described through a simple scheme of group contributions. A distinction is made between groups made only of carbon and hydrogen, and functional groups i.e. groups containing at least one atom different from carbon and hydrogen. Each group is assigned a contribution, for each property, through a least squares procedure which utilizes only molecules containing at most one functional group. Finally, for compounds containing more than one functional group, correction parameters are evaluated as the differences between the experimental values and those calculated by means of the group contributions. The different behavior of hydrophilic compared with hydrophobic groups is discussed for the various properties. A rationale for the correction parameters, i.e. for the effects of the interactions among hydrophilic groups on the thermodynamic properties, is attempted.     

The formation of polymer vesicles or "peptosomes" by polybutadiene-block-poly(L-glutamate)s in dilute aqueous solution

Polybutadiene-block-poly(L-glutamate) copolymers were made by anionic polymerization and subsequent ring-opening polymerization of N-carboxyanhydrides and were characterized by NMR, IR, SEC, and circular dichroism. These polymers, when appropriately designed, form so-called "polymersomes" or "peptosomes", vesicles composed of modified protein units. The size and structure of the vesicles are determined by dynamic light scattering, small-angle neutron scattering, and freeze-fracture electron microscopy. It is also shown that the size of the peptosomes does not depend on the pH; that is, the solvating peptide units can perform a helix-coil transition without serious changes of the vesicle morphology.     

Preparation of block copolymer vesicles in solution

Block copolymer vesicles can be prepared in solution from a variety of different amphiphilic systems. Polystyrene‐block‐poly(acrylic acid), polystyrene‐block‐poly(ethylene oxide), and many other block copolymer systems can produce vesicles of a wide range of sizes; those in the range of 100–1000 nm have been explored extensively. Different factors, such as the absolute and relative block lengths, the presence of additives (ions, homopolymers, and surfactants), the water content in the solvent mixture, the nature and composition of the solvent, the temperature, and the polydispersity of the hydrophilic block, provide control over the types of vesicles produced. Their high stability, resistance to many external stimuli, and ability to package both hydrophilic and hydrophobic compounds make them excellent candidates for use in the medical, pharmaceutical, and environmental fields. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 923–938, 2004     

Aggregate morphologies of amphiphilic graft copolymers in dilute solution studied by self-consistent field theory

Microstructures assembled by amphiphilic graft copolymers in a selective solvent (poor for the backbone chain and good for graft chains or poor for graft chains and good for the backbone chain) were investigated on the basis of a real-space algorithm of self-consistent field theory in two-dimensions. Circle-like micelles, line-like micelles, large compound micelles, and vesicles are obtained by tailoring the architectural parameters and interaction parameter between the graft blocks and solvents. The aggregate morphology stability regions of graft copolymers as functions of the position of first graft point and the number of branches are constructed. It is found that the architectural parameters play a remarkable role in the complex microstructure formation. The interaction between the graft blocks and solvents is also shown to exert an effect on the morphology stability regions. The distributions of the free end and inner blocks of the backbone are found to be different in various aggregate structures. For the circle-like micelles assembled by graft copolymers with a hydrophobic backbone and vesicles assembled by graft copolymers with a hydrophilic backbone, the free end and inner blocks segregate and localize in different parts of the aggregates depending on their length. However, with respect to the large compound micelles and vesicles assembled by graft copolymers with a hydrophobic backbone, the free end and inner blocks uniformly mix in the clusters.     

稀醋酸/水溶液中单个醋酸与水分子的氢键结构

在醋酸/水体系的工业分离中,溶液中的氢键对分离效率有很大影响.本文采用两种第一性原理方法,即从头算分子动力学模拟(AIMD)和量子化学计算(QCC),对由单个醋酸和不同水分子所组成聚合体的氢键相互作用进行了研究,采用极化统一模型和自洽反应场模型计算得到了聚合体在水溶液中的热力学数据.从QCC计算的气相和水溶液中的聚合自由能表明六元环在两种状态下都为最优结构,热力学数据反映出的各种结构的相对稳定性与AIMD模拟的环分布符合得相当一致.研究表明,由于存在醋酸和水分子间的氢键作用,稀醋酸/水溶液中的醋酸分离要比在浓醋酸溶液中困难得多.     

Conductometric studies of DyCl3 in dilute aqueous solution

The limiting conductivity of Dy³⁺(aq) has been determined for the first time by linear extrapolation of conductivity measured in dilute aqueous solutions of (DyCl₃+HCl) at 25°C as ^o(Dy³⁺, aq) = (62.9±0.7) S-cm²-eq^-1. A second set of conductivity measurements in dilute aqueous solutions of DyCl₃ has given evidence of very slight hydrolysis of the cation, with a first hydrolysis constant of 6 x 10^–8 mol-dm^–3 (pK=7.2±0.5) calculated by applying the Onsager-Kim law of electrolyte mixtures.     

The aggregation behavior of O-carboxymethylchitosan in dilute aqueous solution

O-Carboxymethylchitosan (OCMCS) is a kind of biocompatible derivatives of chitosan whose water solubility is strongly dependent on the degree of carboxymethylation. The OCMCS with 100 carboxymethyl groups and 75 amino groups per 100 anhydroglucosamine units of OCMCS was synthesized by the reaction of chitosan and monochloroacetic. When OCMCS was dissolved in water, its solution was neutral and OCMCS behaved like a weak polyanionic polyeclectrolyte because most of carboxylic groups were not dissociated in neutral aqueous solution. The aggregation behavior of OCMCS in aqueous solution was studied by surface tensiometry, steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy and viscometry. The critical aggregation concentration (cac) of OCMCS was determined to be between 0.042 mg/ml and 0.050 mg/ml. The possible aggregation mechanism of OCMCS in water was elucidated.     

单烷基乙二胺稀水溶液头基相互作用自组装形成 双分子膜

提出普通表面活性剂(单链两亲分子)亲水头基相互作用诱导疏水尾链平行聚集形成双分子膜的新机制。设计和合成了系列单烷基取代乙二胺C~nH~2~n~+~1NHC~2H~4NH~2(n=8,12,14,16,18)。通过电镜形态,分散液凝胶/液晶相变和对应铸膜的二维双层结构,表明单链两亲分子头基相互作用和脂链引入刚性片断一样,两者形成的双分子膜具有类似的结构和性能;展示了各体系取代乙二胺双层结构和性能的密切联系。指出了广泛认同的单链两亲分子形成双分子膜必须引入刚性片断的单一成膜机制的片面性,为组装新一类功能头基表面活性剂双分子膜独辟蹊径。     

Micellization of dodecyldimethylethyl- ammonium bromide in aqueous solution

Specific conductivity of aqueous solutions of dodecyldimethylethylammonium bromide has been determined in the temperature range of 15-40°C. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) and ionization degree of the micelles, b, were determined from the data. Thermodynamic functions, such as standard Gibbs free energy, ΔG _m°, enthalpy, ΔG _m°, and entropy, ΔG _m°, of micellization, were estimated by assuming that the system conforms to the mass action model. The change in heat capacity upon micellization, ΔG _m°, was estimated from the temperature dependence of ΔG _m°. An enthalpy-entropy compensation phenomenom for the studied system has been found. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A thermodynamic study of two anionic amphiphilic penicillins in aqueous solution by ultrasound speed measurements

The critical concentrations of sodium cloxacillin and sodium dicloxacillin penicillins in aqueous solution were determined over the temperature range 288.15–313.15 K by a method based on deconvolution into Gaussians of the second derivative of the measured ultrasound velocity. The mass action model was used to calculate the thermodynamic standard quantities: free Gibbs energy, enthalpy and entropy of aggregate formation. The results are discussed in terms of the structure of the drug aggregates.     

Structural and dynamical characterization of unilamellar AOT vesicles in aqueous solutions and their efficacy as potential drug delivery vehicle

Sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT) is well known to form nanometre sized aqueous droplets in organic solvents and used in several contemporary applications including templates of nanoparticle synthesis. However, the detailed structural characterization of AOT in aqueous media is relatively less attended. Here we have used dynamic light scattering technique for the structural characterization of AOT in aqueous solutions and found to have a monodispersed, unilamellar vesicles (～140 nm diameter). The efficacy of the vesicle to host both charged drugs like H258 (2'-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-[5-(4-methylpiperazine-1-yl)-benzimidazo-2-yl-benzimidazole]), EtBr (ethidium bromide) and hydrophobic drug like DCM (4-(dicyanomethylene)-2-methyl-6-(p-dimethylamino-styryl)-4H-pyran) has also been investigated using F?rster resonance energy transfer. Picosecond resolved and polarization gated spectroscopy have been used to study the solvation dynamics and microviscosity at the surface of the vesicles. We have also performed concentration and temperature dependent studies in order to confirm the stability of the vesicles in aqueous phase. The drug release profile of the vesicles has been studied through in vitro dialysis method. The non-toxic, monodispersed vesicles in aqueous media with a noteworthy stability in wide range of AOT concentration and temperature, capable of hosting drugs of various natures (both hydrophobic and charged) simultaneously for many codelivery applications with controlled drug release profile may find its applications in drug delivery.     

Conformation and hydration of sugars and related compounds in dilute aqueous solution

The effect of hydroxyl substitution on the nature of the hydration of an alkane chain has been studied by calorimetric techniques. Static permittivities (₀) of a range of monosaccharides and related compounds in aqueous solution have also been determined. The (₀) data, suitably processed, have provided information about the solute dipole moments. In conjunction with earlier results from volumetric, compressibility, and relaxation studies, the specific hydration model is further developed and the relationships between solute molecular conformations and solute-water interactions are discussed.This paper was presented at the symposium, The Physical Chemistry of Aqueous Systems, held at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 12–14, 1972, in honor of the 70th birthday of Professor H. S. Frank.     

Theoretical study of morphine and heroin: Conformational study in gas phase and aqueous solution and electron distribution analysis

The conformational preferences of morphine and heroin were studied in gas phase and with inclusion of solvent effects. At 298.15 K, three conformers are significant for isolated morphine, all of them displaying antiperiplanar arrangement for the C2? C3? O? H unit, and there is only one significantly populated conformer for heroin. Quantum theory of atoms in molecules analysis of the electron density in their most populated conformers in gas phase indicates that the positive charge is shared among the amino hydrogen, those hydrogens of the methylamino group, and all of the hydrogens attached to the bridgehead carbons. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem 110:2472–2482, 2010     

Formation of vesicles in diluted aqueous solutions of surfactant investigated by direct analysis of light scattering

Formation of aggregates in the binary systems of double-tailed surfactant, sodium 4-(1-pentylheptyl)benzenesulfonate, and water in the dilute regime was supposed to occur within 5.0–8.5% of surfactant concentration. The size of particles was determined by light scattering. In addition, the samples were observed at room temperature using an Axiovert 35 Zeiss polarized light microscope operated with differential interference contrast optics. The observed aggregates could, in theory, belong a vesicle phase. All the histograms obtained by light scattering showed a bimodal distribution of particles. Weight factors including intensity, volume and number distribution indicate 97–100% of small aggregate sizes, since the peaks for the big sizes indicate only a small number of the aggregate population. Small aggregates have shown monodispersity with diameters of the aqueous core amounting to 38.94 and 54.94 nm relating to the surfactant concentration of 6.0 and 8.0%, respectively. Hydrodynamic radii determined by the Cumulant method, by the inverse Laplace transformation, and using a plot 1/τ vs. q², showed values within the usual precision limits.     

Formation and stability of proton-amine-inorganic anion complexes in aqueous solution

Interaction of some amines with inorganic ligands was studied potentiometrically in aqueous solutions at 25°C at different ionic strengths. The systems taken into account were: meta-PP, meta-TPP, en-PP, en-TPP, en-HPO ₄ ^2– , dap-SO ₄ ^2– , tetren-HPO ₄ ^2– , 6da-PP and 8da-TPP (meta=methylamine, en=ethylenediamine, tetren=tetraethylenepentamine, dap=1,2-diaminopropane, 6da=1,6-hexanediamine, 8da=1,8-octanediamine, PP=pyrophosphate, TPP=tripolyphosphate). Several ALH_r species are formed for all the studied mixed systems (A=amine, L =inorganic ligand), and in some cases A_pL_qH_r species were also found. The stability of mixed proton-ligand-ligand species is proportional to the charges involved in the complexation reaction and, to some extent, it depends on steric characteristic of the ligands. A simple relationship has been found between formation constants of mixed ligand species and charges involved in the complexation reaction. The ionic strength dependence of formation constants has been taken into account, and it was found that, also for these types of mixed complexes, a general equation independent of the nature of the reactants can be used.     

Surfactant‐free synthesis of amphiphilic diblock copolymer in aqueous phase by a self‐stability process

Amphiphilic polymeric particles with hydrophobic cores and hydrophilic shells were prepared via living radical emulsion polymerization of styrene using a water‐soluble poly(acrylamide)‐based macro‐RAFT agent in aqueous solution in the absence of any surfactants. Firstly, the homopolymerization of acrylamide (AM) was carried out in aqueous phase by reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer radical polymerization (RAFT) using a trithiocarbonate as a chain transfer agent. Then the PAM‐based macro‐RAFT agent has been used as a water‐soluble macromolecular chain transfer agent in the batch emulsion polymerization of Styrene (St) free of surfactants. The RAFT controlled growth of hydrophobic block led to the formation of well‐defined poly(acrylamide)‐copolystyrene amphiphilic copolymer, which was able to work as a polymeric stabilizer (self‐stability). Finally, very stable latex was prepared, having no visible phase separation for several months. FTIR and ¹H‐NMR measurements showed that the product was the block copolymer PAM‐co‐PS in the form of stable latex. Atomic force microscope (AFM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) studies indicated that the nanoparticles have a narrow particle size distribution and the average particle hydrodynamic radius was kept in the diameter of 58 nm. Core‐shell structure of the copolymer was also recorded by TEM. The mechanism of the self‐stability of polymer particles during the polymerization in the absence of surfactants was studied. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 3098–3107, 2008