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Chimia Aug 2018
Topics: Biomimetics; Membranes; Polymers
PubMed: 30158019
DOI: 10.2533/chimia.2018.548 -
Materials Horizons Oct 2022Post-polymerisation functionalisation provides a facile and efficient way for the introduction of functional groups on the backbone of conjugated polymers. Using... (Review)
Review
Post-polymerisation functionalisation provides a facile and efficient way for the introduction of functional groups on the backbone of conjugated polymers. Using post-polymerisation functionalisation approaches, the polymer chain length is usually not affected, meaning that the resulting polymers only differ in their attached functional groups or side chains, which makes them particularly interesting for investigating the influence of the different groups on the polymer properties. For such functionalisations, highly efficient and selective reactions are needed to avoid the formation of complex mixtures or permanent defects in the polymer backbone. A variety of suitable synthetic approaches and reactions that fulfil these criteria have been identified and reported. In this review, a thorough overview is given of the post-polymerisation functionalisations reported to date, with the methods grouped based on the type of reaction used: cycloaddition, oxidation/reduction, nucleophilic aromatic substitution, or halogenation and subsequent cross-coupling reaction. Instead of modifications on the aliphatic side chains of the conjugated polymers, we focus on modifications directly on the conjugated backbones, as these have the most pronounced effect on the optical and electronic properties. Some of the discussed materials have been used in applications, ranging from solar cells to bioelectronics. By providing an overview of this versatile and expanding field for the first time, we showcase post-polymerisation functionalisation as an exciting pathway for the creation of new conjugated materials for a range of applications.
Topics: Polymers; Polymerization; Electronics
PubMed: 35983884
DOI: 10.1039/d2mh00519k -
The Journal of Chemical Physics Mar 2022Many macromolecules of biological and technological interest are both chiral and semi-flexible. DNA and collagen are good examples. Such molecules often form chiral...
Many macromolecules of biological and technological interest are both chiral and semi-flexible. DNA and collagen are good examples. Such molecules often form chiral nematic (or cholesteric) phases, as is well-documented in collagen and chitin. This work presents a method for studying cholesteric phases in the highly successful self-consistent field theory of worm-like chains, offering a new way of studying many biologically relevant molecules. The method involves an effective Hamiltonian with a chiral term inspired by the Oseen-Frank (OF) model of liquid crystals. This method is then used to examine the formation of cholesteric phases in chiral-nematic worm-like chains as a function of polymer flexibility, as well as the optimal cholesteric pitch and distribution of polymer segment orientations. Our approach not only allows for the determination of the isotropic-cholesteric transition and segment distributions, beyond what the OF model promises, but also explicitly incorporates polymer flexibility into the study of the cholesteric phase, offering a more complete understanding of the behavior of semiflexible chiral-nematic polymers.
Topics: DNA; Liquid Crystals; Polymers
PubMed: 35317576
DOI: 10.1063/5.0078937 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2021Atmospheric plasma treatment is an effective and economical surface treatment technique. The main advantage of this technique is that the bulk properties of the material... (Review)
Review
Atmospheric plasma treatment is an effective and economical surface treatment technique. The main advantage of this technique is that the bulk properties of the material remain unchanged while the surface properties and biocompatibility are enhanced. Polymers are used in many biomedical applications; such as implants, because of their variable bulk properties. On the other hand, their surface properties are inadequate which demands certain surface treatments including atmospheric pressure plasma treatment. In biomedical applications, surface treatment is important to promote good cell adhesion, proliferation, and growth. This article aim is to give an overview of different atmospheric pressure plasma treatments of polymer surface, and their influence on cell-material interaction with different cell lines.
Topics: Animals; Atmospheric Pressure; Biocompatible Materials; Cell Adhesion; Cell Culture Techniques; Cell Line; Humans; Plasma Gases; Polymers; Surface Properties
PubMed: 33802663
DOI: 10.3390/molecules26061665 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2019Flow microreactors are expected to make a revolutionary change in chemical synthesis involving various fields of polymer synthesis. In fact, extensive flow microreactor... (Review)
Review
Flow microreactors are expected to make a revolutionary change in chemical synthesis involving various fields of polymer synthesis. In fact, extensive flow microreactor studies have opened up new possibilities in polymer chemistry including cationic polymerization, anionic polymerization, radical polymerization, coordination polymerization, polycondensation and ring-opening polymerization. This review provides an overview of flow microreactors in anionic polymerization and their various applications.
Topics: Anions; Polymerization; Polymers; Rheology; Solvents
PubMed: 31003462
DOI: 10.3390/molecules24081532 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2021Pluronic polymers (pluronics) are a unique class of synthetic triblock copolymers containing hydrophobic polypropylene oxide (PPO) and hydrophilic polyethylene oxide... (Review)
Review
Pluronic polymers (pluronics) are a unique class of synthetic triblock copolymers containing hydrophobic polypropylene oxide (PPO) and hydrophilic polyethylene oxide (PEO) arranged in the PEO-PPO-PEO manner. Due to their excellent biocompatibility and amphiphilic properties, pluronics are an ideal and promising biological material, which is widely used in drug delivery, disease diagnosis, and treatment, among other applications. Through self-assembly or in combination with other materials, pluronics can form nano carriers with different morphologies, representing a kind of multifunctional pharmaceutical excipients. In recent years, the utilization of pluronic-based multi-functional drug carriers in tumor treatment has become widespread, and various responsive drug carriers are designed according to the characteristics of the tumor microenvironment, resulting in major progress in tumor therapy. This review introduces the specific role of pluronic-based polymer drug delivery systems in tumor therapy, focusing on their physical and chemical properties as well as the design aspects of pluronic polymers. Finally, using newer literature reports, this review provides insights into the future potential and challenges posed by different pluronic-based polymer drug delivery systems in tumor therapy.
Topics: Drug Carriers; Drug Delivery Systems; Humans; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Neoplasms; Poloxamer; Polyethylene Glycols; Polymers; Polypropylenes; Propylene Glycols; Tumor Microenvironment
PubMed: 34204668
DOI: 10.3390/molecules26123610 -
The European Physical Journal. E, Soft... Jun 2024In this study, we demonstrate the fabrication of polymersomes, protein-blended polymersomes, and polymeric microcapsules using droplet microfluidics. Polymersomes with...
In this study, we demonstrate the fabrication of polymersomes, protein-blended polymersomes, and polymeric microcapsules using droplet microfluidics. Polymersomes with uniform, single bilayers and controlled diameters are assembled from water-in-oil-in-water double-emulsion droplets. This technique relies on adjusting the interfacial energies of the droplet to completely separate the polymer-stabilized inner core from the oil shell. Protein-blended polymersomes are prepared by dissolving protein in the inner and outer phases of polymer-stabilized droplets. Cell-sized polymeric microcapsules are assembled by size reduction in the inner core through osmosis followed by evaporation of the middle phase. All methods are developed and validated using the same glass-capillary microfluidic apparatus. This integrative approach not only demonstrates the versatility of our setup, but also holds significant promise for standardizing and customizing the production of polymer-based artificial cells.
Topics: Artificial Cells; Polymers; Emulsions; Capsules; Microfluidics; Water; Microfluidic Analytical Techniques; Proteins
PubMed: 38829453
DOI: 10.1140/epje/s10189-024-00428-5 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2018Precise structure-property relation of a biodegradable polymer (e.g., aliphatic polyester) is anticipated only if monomer units and chiral centers are arranged in a... (Review)
Review
Precise structure-property relation of a biodegradable polymer (e.g., aliphatic polyester) is anticipated only if monomer units and chiral centers are arranged in a defined primary sequence as a biomacromolecule. An emerging synthetic methodology, namely segmer assembly polymerization (SAP), is introduced in this paper to reveal the latest progress in polyester synthesis. Almost any periodic polyester envisioned can be synthesized via SAP using a programed linear or cyclic monomer. In this context, the macroscopic properties of a biodegradable polymer are fundamentally determined by microstructural information through a bottom-up approach. It can be highlighted that SAP ideally combines the precision of organic synthesis and the high efficiency of a polymerization reaction. Previously reported strategies including nucleophilic displacement, polyesterification, cross-metathesis polymerization (CMP), ring-opening polymerization (ROP), ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) and entropy-driven ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ED-ROMP) are critically reviewed in this paper to shed light on precision synthesis of aliphatic polyesters via SAP. Emerging yet challenging, SAP is a paradigm which reflects the convergence of organic and polymer chemistries and is also an efficient pathway to microstructural control. The current status, future challenges and promising trends in this realm are analyzed and discussed in this overview of the state-of-the-art.
Topics: Biodegradable Plastics; Catalysis; Lactones; Polyesters; Polymerization; Polymers; Structure-Activity Relationship
PubMed: 29463013
DOI: 10.3390/molecules23020452 -
Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews Aug 2015RAFT- mediated polymerization, providing control over polymer length and architecture as well as facilitating post polymerization modification of end groups, has been... (Review)
Review
RAFT- mediated polymerization, providing control over polymer length and architecture as well as facilitating post polymerization modification of end groups, has been applied to virtually every facet of biomedical materials research. RAFT polymers have seen particularly extensive use in drug delivery research. Facile generation of functional and telechelic polymers permits straightforward conjugation to many therapeutic compounds while synthesis of amphiphilic block copolymers via RAFT allows for the generation of self-assembled structures capable of carrying therapeutic payloads. With the large and growing body of literature employing RAFT polymers as drug delivery aids and vehicles, concern over the potential toxicity of RAFT derived polymers has been raised. While literature exploring this complication is relatively limited, the emerging consensus may be summed up in three parts: toxicity of polymers generated with dithiobenzoate RAFT agents is observed at high concentrations but not with polymers generated with trithiocarbonate RAFT agents; even for polymers generated with dithiobenzoate RAFT agents, most reported applications call for concentrations well below the toxicity threshold; and RAFT end-groups may be easily removed via any of a variety of techniques that leave the polymer with no intrinsic toxicity attributable to the mechanism of polymerization. The low toxicity of RAFT-derived polymers and the ability to remove end groups via straightforward and scalable processes make RAFT technology a valuable tool for practically any application in which a polymer of defined molecular weight and architecture is desired.
Topics: Animals; Biocompatible Materials; Drug Delivery Systems; Humans; Molecular Weight; Polymerization; Polymers; Thiones
PubMed: 26050529
DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2015.05.016 -
Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces Feb 2024The covalent functionalization of polymers with fluorinated moieties represents a promising strategy for the development of multimodal systems. Moreover, polymer...
The covalent functionalization of polymers with fluorinated moieties represents a promising strategy for the development of multimodal systems. Moreover, polymer fluorination often endows the resulting nanocarriers with improved colloidal stability in the biological environment. In this work, we developed fluorinated pegylated (PEG) biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) drug nanocarriers showing both high colloidal stability and stealth properties, as well as being (F)-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) detectable. The optimized nanocarriers were obtained mixing a PEG-PCL block copolymer with a nonafluoro-functionalized PCL polymer. The role of PEGylation and fluorination on self-assembly and colloidal behavior of the obtained nanoparticles (NPs) was investigated, as well as their respective role on stealth properties and colloidal stability. To prove the feasibility of the developed NPs as potential F NMR detectable drug delivery systems, a hydrophobic drug was successfully encapsulated, and the maintenance of the relevant F NMR properties evaluated. Drug-loaded fluorinated NPs still retained a sharp and intense F NMR signal and good relaxivity parameters (i.e., T and T relaxation times) in water, which were not impaired by drug encapsulation.
Topics: Polyethylene Glycols; Drug Delivery Systems; Polyesters; Polymers; Drug Carriers; Nanoparticles
PubMed: 38176337
DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2023.113730