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Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin 2017Smart design of polymeric materials may lead to intelligent materials exhibiting unique functional properties. Looking at nature, living systems use specific and... (Review)
Review
Smart design of polymeric materials may lead to intelligent materials exhibiting unique functional properties. Looking at nature, living systems use specific and reversible intermolecular interactions in realizing complex functions. Hence reversible bonds based on selective molecular recognition can impart artificial materials with unique functional properties. This review mainly focuses on supramolecular polymeric materials based on cyclodextrin-based host-guest interactions. Polymeric materials using molecular recognition at polymer main chain, side chain, and termini are described. Polymers carrying host and guest residues exhibit unique properties such as: 1) formation of macroscopic self-assembly of polymer gels carrying host and guest residues; 2) stimuli-responsive self-healing properties due to the reversible nature of host-guest interactions; and 3) macroscopic motion of artificial muscle cross-linked by host-guest interaction controlled by external stimuli. An overview of recent developments in this new frontier between materials science and life science is given.
Topics: Cyclodextrins; Macromolecular Substances; Polymers
PubMed: 28381672
DOI: 10.1248/cpb.c16-00778 -
The American Journal of Medicine Jul 2017
Topics: Embolism; Equipment Failure; Humans; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Polymers
PubMed: 28216443
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2017.01.032 -
Advances in Colloid and Interface... Jul 2022In tissue engineering, it is imperative to control the behaviour of cells/stem cells, such as adhesion, proliferation, propagation, motility, and differentiation for... (Review)
Review
In tissue engineering, it is imperative to control the behaviour of cells/stem cells, such as adhesion, proliferation, propagation, motility, and differentiation for tissue regeneration. Surfaces that allow cells to behave in this way are critical as support materials in tissue engineering. Among these surfaces, brush-type polymers have an important potential for tissue engineering and biomedical applications. Brush structure and length, end groups, bonding densities, hydrophilicity, surface energy, structural flexibility, thermal stability, surface chemical reactivity, rheological and tribological properties, electron and energy transfer ability, cell binding and absorption abilities for various biological molecules of brush-type polymers were increased its importance in tissue engineering applications. In addition, thanks to these functional properties and adjustable surface properties, brush type polymers are used in different high-tech applications such as electronics, sensors, anti-fouling, catalysis, purification and energy etc. This review comprehensively highlights the use of brush-type polymers in tissue engineering applications. Considering the superior properties of brush-type polymer structures, it is believed that in the future, it will be an effective tool in structure designs containing many different biomolecules (enzymes, proteins, etc.) in the field of tissue engineering.
Topics: Chemical Phenomena; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Polymers; Surface Properties; Tissue Engineering
PubMed: 35597039
DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2022.102694 -
Environmental Science & Technology Dec 2022The release of fragments from plastic products, that is, secondary microplastics, is a major concern in the context of the global plastic pollution. Currently available...
The release of fragments from plastic products, that is, secondary microplastics, is a major concern in the context of the global plastic pollution. Currently available (thermoplastic) polyurethanes [(T)PU] are not biodegradable and therefore should be recycled. However, the ester bond in (T)PUs might be sufficiently hydrolysable to enable at least partial biodegradation of polyurethane particles. Here, we investigated biodegradation in compost of different types of (T)PU to gain insights into their fragmentation and biodegradation mechanisms. The studied (T)PUs varied regarding the chemistry of their polymer backbone (aromatic/aliphatic), hard phase content, cross-linking degree, and presence of a hydrolysis-stabilizing additive. We developed and validated an efficient and non-destructive polymer particle extraction process for partially biodegraded (T)PUs based on ultrasonication and density separation. Our results showed that biodegradation rates and extents decreased with increasing cross-linking density and hard-segment content. We found that the presence of a hydrolysis stabilizer reduced (T)PU fragmentation while not affecting the conversion of (T)PU carbon into CO. We propose a biodegradation mechanism for (T)PUs that includes both mother particle shrinkage by surface erosion and fragmentation. The presented results help to understand structure-degradation relationships of (T)PUs and support recycling strategies.
Topics: Humans; Polyurethanes; Plastics; Microplastics; Polymers; Biodegradation, Environmental; Suppuration
PubMed: 36394826
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c05602 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2022The interaction of water with polymers is an intensively studied topic. Vibrational spectroscopy techniques, mid-infrared (MIR) and Raman, were often used to investigate...
The interaction of water with polymers is an intensively studied topic. Vibrational spectroscopy techniques, mid-infrared (MIR) and Raman, were often used to investigate the properties of water-polymer systems. On the other hand, relatively little attention has been given to the potential of using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy (12,500-4000 cm; 800-2500 nm) for exploring this problem. NIR spectroscopy delivers exclusive opportunities for the investigation of molecular structure and interactions. This technique derives information from overtones and combination bands, which provide unique insights into molecular interactions. It is also very well suited for the investigation of aqueous systems, as both the bands of water and the polymer can be reliably acquired in a range of concentrations in a more straightforward manner than it is possible with MIR spectroscopy. In this study, we applied NIR spectroscopy to investigate interactions of water with polymers of varying hydrophobicity: polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polyoxymethylene (POM), polyamide 6 (PA), lignin (Lig), chitin (Chi) and cellulose (Cell). Polymer-water mixtures in the concentration range of water between 1-10%(/) were investigated. Spectra analysis and interpretation were performed with the use of difference spectroscopy, Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Median Linkage Clustering (MLC), Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR), Multivariate Curve Resolution Alternating Least Squares (MCR-ALS) and Two-Dimensional Correlation Spectroscopy (2D-COS). Additionally, from the obtained data, aquagrams were constructed and interpreted with aid of the conclusions drawn from the conventional approaches. We deepened insights into the problem of water bands obscuring compound-specific signals in the NIR spectrum, which is often a limiting factor in analytical applications. The study unveiled clearly visible trends in NIR spectra associated with the chemical nature of the polymer and its increasing hydrophilicity. We demonstrated that changes in the NIR spectrum of water are manifested even in the case of interaction with highly hydrophobic polymers (e.g., PTFE). Furthermore, the unveiled spectral patterns of water in the presence of different polymers were found to be dissimilar between the two major water bands in NIR spectrum ( + and + ).
Topics: Cellulose; Chitin; Lignin; Polymers; Polypropylenes; Polystyrenes; Polytetrafluoroethylene; Polyvinyl Chloride; Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; Water
PubMed: 36144616
DOI: 10.3390/molecules27185882 -
Bioconjugate Chemistry Jan 2017Plasmonic nanostructures with unique physical and biological properties have attracted increased attention for potential biomedical applications. Polymers grafted on... (Review)
Review
Plasmonic nanostructures with unique physical and biological properties have attracted increased attention for potential biomedical applications. Polymers grafted on metal nanoparticle surface can be used as assembly regulating molecules to guide nanoparticles organize into ordered or hierarchical structures in solution, within condensed phases, or at interfaces. In this Topical Review, we will highlight recent efforts on self-assembly of gold nanoparticles coated with polymer brushes. How and what kind of polymer graft can be used to adjust nanoparticle interactions, to dictate interparticle orientation, and to determine assembled nanostructures will be discussed. Furthermore, the Topical Review will shed light on the physicochemical properties, including self-assembly behavior and kinetics, tunable localized surface plasmon resonance effect, enhanced surface enhanced Raman scattering, and other optical and thermal properties. The potential of self-assembled nanostructures for applications in different fields, especially in biomedicine, will also be elaborated.
Topics: Acoustics; Polymers; Spectrum Analysis, Raman; Surface Plasmon Resonance
PubMed: 28095685
DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.6b00521 -
Nature Communications Jan 2023Polymers with low ceiling temperatures (T) are highly desirable as they can depolymerize under mild conditions, but they typically suffer from demanding synthetic...
Polymers with low ceiling temperatures (T) are highly desirable as they can depolymerize under mild conditions, but they typically suffer from demanding synthetic conditions and poor stability. We envision that this challenge can be addressed by developing high-T polymers that can be converted into low-T polymers on demand. Here, we demonstrate the mechanochemical generation of a low-T polymer, poly(2,5-dihydrofuran) (PDHF), from an unsaturated polyether that contains cyclobutane-fused THF in each repeat unit. Upon mechanically induced cycloreversion of cyclobutane, each repeat unit generates three repeat units of PDHF. The resulting PDHF completely depolymerizes into 2,5-dihydrofuran in the presence of a ruthenium catalyst. The mechanochemical generation of the otherwise difficult-to-synthesize PDHF highlights the power of polymer mechanochemistry in accessing elusive structures. The concept of mechanochemically regulating the T of polymers can be applied to develop next-generation sustainable plastics.
Topics: Polymers; Cyclobutanes; Plastics; Catalysis
PubMed: 36641481
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-35925-2 -
International Journal of Molecular... Dec 2023Due to the growing interest in biopolymers, biosynthesizable and biodegradable polymers currently occupy a special place. Unfortunately, the properties of native...
Due to the growing interest in biopolymers, biosynthesizable and biodegradable polymers currently occupy a special place. Unfortunately, the properties of native biopolymers make them not good enough for use as substitutes for conventional polymers. Therefore, attempts are being made to modify their properties. In this work, in order to improve the properties of the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (P3HB) biopolymer, linear aliphatic polyurethane (PU) based on 1,4-butanediol (BD) and hexamethylene 1,6-diisocyanate (HDI) was used. The conducted studies on the effect of the amount of PU used (5, 10, 15 and 20 m/m%) showed an improvement in the thermal properties of the prepared polymer blends. As part of the tested mechanical properties of the new polymer blends, we noted the desired increase in the tensile strength, and the impact strength showed a decrease in hardness, in particular at the presence of 5 m/m% PU. Therefore, for further improvement, hybrid nanobiocomposites with 5 m/m% PU and organically modified montmorillonite (MMT) (Cloisite 30B) were produced. The nanoadditive was used in a typical amount of 1-3 m/m%. It was found that the obtained nanobiocomposites containing the smallest amount of nanofillers, i.e., 1 m/m% Cloisite30B, exhibited the best mechanical and thermal properties.
Topics: Polymers; Polyurethanes; Bentonite; 3-Hydroxybutyric Acid; Biopolymers
PubMed: 38139234
DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417405 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Nov 2021We designed simply fabricated, highly sensitive, and cost-effective dual-polymer-coated Fabry-Perot interferometer (DFPI)-based temperature sensors by employing...
We designed simply fabricated, highly sensitive, and cost-effective dual-polymer-coated Fabry-Perot interferometer (DFPI)-based temperature sensors by employing thermosensitive polymers and non-thermosensitive polymers, as well as different two successive dip-coating techniques (stepwise dip coating and polymer mixture coating). Seven sensors were fabricated using different polymer combinations for performance optimization. The experiments demonstrated that the stepwise dip-coated dual thermosensitive polymer sensors exhibited the highest sensitivity (2142.5 pm °C for poly(methyl methacrylate)-polycarbonate (PMMA_PC) and 785.5 pm °C for poly(methyl methacrylate)- polystyrene (PMMA_PS)). Conversely, the polymer-mixture-coated sensors yielded low sensitivities (339.5 pm °C for the poly(methyl methacrylate)-polycarbonate mixture (PMMA_PC mixture) and 233.5 pm °C for the poly(methyl methacrylate)-polystyrene mixture (PMMA_PS mixture). Thus, the coating method, polymer selection, and thin air-bubble-free coating are crucial for high-sensitivity DFPI-based sensors. Furthermore, the DFPI-based sensors yielded stable readouts, based on three measurements. Our comprehensive results confirm the effectiveness, reproducibility, stability, fast response, feasibility, and accuracy of temperature measurements using the proposed sensors. The excellent performance and simplicity of our proposed sensors are promising for biomedical, biochemical, and physical applications.
Topics: Polymers; Polymethyl Methacrylate; Polystyrenes; Reproducibility of Results; Temperature
PubMed: 34833708
DOI: 10.3390/s21227632 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2023Conjugated polymers (CPs) have attracted much attention in the fields of chemistry, medicine, life science, and material science. Researchers have carried out a series... (Review)
Review
Conjugated polymers (CPs) have attracted much attention in the fields of chemistry, medicine, life science, and material science. Researchers have carried out a series of innovative researches and have made significant research progress regarding the unique photochemical and photophysical properties of CPs, expanding the application range of polymers. CPs are polymers formed by the conjugation of multiple repeating light-emitting units. Through precise control of their structure, functional molecules with different properties can be obtained. Fluorescence probes with different absorption and emission wavelengths can be obtained by changing the main chain structure. By modifying the side chain structure with water-soluble groups or selective recognition molecules, electrostatic interaction or specific binding with specific targets can be achieved; subsequently, the purpose of selective recognition can be achieved. This article reviews the research work of CPs in cell imaging, tumor diagnosis, and treatment in recent years, summarizes the latest progress in the application of CPs in imaging, tumor diagnosis, and treatment, and discusses the future development direction of CPs in cell imaging, tumor diagnosis, and treatment.
Topics: Humans; Polymers; Diagnostic Imaging; Neoplasms; Solubility; Water
PubMed: 37446753
DOI: 10.3390/molecules28135091