Well-Defined Poly(butyl cyanoacrylate) Nanoparticles via Miniemulsion Polymerization

Summary: Despite the high reactivity of the monomer, nanoparticles with a hydrophobic core based on poly(butyl cyanoacrylate) and a hydrophilic shell based on poly(ethylene oxide) PEO were synthesized in one step by miniemulsion polymerization. Colloidal properties of the nanoparticles were controlled by the structure and the amount of amphiphilic polymer in the aqueous phase, while the molecular weight of core depended on pH of the continuous phase and the polymerization mechanism (anionic or radical). The evolution of the molecular weight of the synthesized poly(butyl cyanoacrylate) was followed as a function of time at pH 7.4 by size exclusion chromatography. As expected, the degradation kinetics depended on the polymerization mechanism. Finally, a model compound, pyrene, was encapsulated in the synthesized nanoparticles. Its release was found to depend on the conditions of nanoparticles synthesis, especially on the polymerization mechanism.