Influence of the Degree of Ionization on Weak Polyelectrolyte Multilayer Assembly

Polyelectrolyte-Assisted Dispersions of Reduced Graphite Oxide Nanoplates in Water and Their Gas-Barrier Application

Dispersion of graphene and related materials in water is needed to enable sustainable processing of these 2D materials. In this work, we demonstrate the capability of branched polyethylenimine (BPEI) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) to stabilize reduced graphite oxide (rGO) dispersions in water. Atomic force microscopy colloidal probe measurements were carried out to investigate the interaction mechanisms between rGO and the polyelectrolytes (PEs). Our results show that for positive PEs, the interaction appears electrostatic, originating from the weak negative charge of graphene in water. For negative PEs, however, van der Waals forces may result in the formation of a PE shell on rGO. The PE-stabilized rGO dispersions were then used for the preparation of coatings to enhance gas barrier properties of polyethylene terephthalate films using the layer-by-layer self-assembly. Ten bilayers of rGO_BPEI/rGO_PAA resulted in coatings with excellent barrier properties as demonstrated by oxygen transmission rates below detection limits [<0.005 cm³/(m² day atm)]. The observed excellent performance is ascribed to both the high density of the deposited coating and its efficient stratification. These results can enable the design of highly efficient gas barrier solutions for demanding applications, including oxygen-sensitive pharmaceutical products or flexible electronic devices.

Electrostatically crosslinked cellulose nanocrystal and polyelectrolyte complex sponges with pH responsiveness

This work focuses on the development of a responsive sponge made of an anionic cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) skeleton that is electrostatically crosslinked by a pH-responsive poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) polyelectrolyte complex (PEC). The results prove the formation of a global percolated network comprised of disordered CNC rods crosslinked by PEC clusters. The bulk density of the freeze-dried CNC-PEC sponges increases from 35 to 93 mg/cm³ with PEC concentration, while the compression modulus of dry specimens increases from 7 up to 62 kPa. At the lowest PEC concentration of 1 wt%, at pH 2.0, the compression modulus decreases to 0.9 kPa, whereas at pH 5.5, it increases to 42 kPa. The intensive complexation between sponge constituents is also reflected in a reduced ability to bind charged dyes at neutral pH values. Decreasing the pH results in an increased adsorption efficiency for anionic dyes, while raising the pH improves the cationic dye adsorption.

Transfer Matrix Model of pH Effects in Polymeric Complex Coacervation

Oppositely charged polyelectrolytes can undergo an associative phase separation, in a process known as polymeric complex coacervation. This phenomenon is driven by the electrostatic attraction between polyanion and polycation species, leading to the formation of a polymer-dense coacervate phase and a coexisting polymer-dilute supernatant phase. There has been significant recent interest in the physical origin and features of coacervation; yet notably, experiments often use weak polyelectrolytes the charge state of which depends on solution pH, while theoretical or computational efforts typically assume strong polyelectrolytes that remain fully charged. There have been only a few efforts to address this limitation, and thus there has been little exploration of how pH can affect complex coacervation. In this paper, we modify a transfer matrix theory of coacervation to account for acid-base equilibria, taking advantage of its ability to directly account for some local ion correlations that will affect monomer charging. We show that coacervation can stabilize the charged state of a weak polyelectrolyte via the proximity of oppositely charged monomers, and can lead to asymmetric phase diagrams where the positively and negatively charged polyelectrolytes exhibit different behaviors near the pK_a of either chain. Specifically, there is a partitioning of one of the salt species to a coacervate to maintain electroneutrality when one of the polyelectrolytes is only partially charged. This results in the depletion of the same salt species in the supernatant, and overall can suppress phase separation. We also demonstrate that, when one of the species is only partially charged, mixtures that are off-stoichiometric in volume fraction but stoichiometric in charge exhibit the greatest propensity to form coacervate phases.

Polyelectrolyte Multilayers: An Overview on Fabrication, Properties, and Biomedical and Environmental Applications

Polyelectrolyte multilayers are versatile materials that are used in a large number of domains, including biomedical and environmental applications. The fabrication of polyelectrolyte multilayers using the layer-by-layer technique is one of the simplest methods to obtain composite functional materials. The properties of the final material can be easily tuned by changing the deposition conditions and the used building blocks. This review presents the main characteristics of polyelectrolyte multilayers, the fabrication methods currently used, and the factors influencing the layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolytes. The last section of this paper presents some of the most important applications of polyelectrolyte multilayers, with a special focus on biomedical and environmental applications.

Processing Chitosan for Preparing Chitosan-Functionalized Nanoparticles by Polyelectrolyte Adsorption

Chitosan-coated nanoparticles are a promising class of drug delivery vehicles that have been studied as tools for improving the gastrointestinal delivery of therapeutics. Here we present an analysis of chitosan-coated nanoparticles with an emphasis on characterizing the chitosan polymer properties. Cationic nanoparticles are produced by adsorbing a layer of chitosan HCl on an anionic (-40 mV ζ-potential) polyacrylic acid (PAA) coated primary nanoparticle. Commercially available chitosan (90% deacetylated) must be processed into a nearly completely deacetylated HCl salt form (99% deacetylation); otherwise, primary nanoparticle aggregation occurs. Deacetylated chitosan HCl produces stable, cationic (+35 mV ζ-potential) nanoparticles within 10% of the original anionic particle hydrodynamic diameter at a 1:2 molar ratio of chitosan glucosamine HCl monomers to PAA acrylic acid monomers.

Embedding Collagen in Multilayers for Enzyme-Assisted Mineralization: A Promising Way to Direct Crystallization in Confinement

The biogenic calcium phosphate (CaP) crystallization is a process that offers elegant materials design strategies to achieve bioactive and biomechanical challenges. Indeed, many biomimetic approaches have been developed for this process in order to produce mineralized structures with controlled crystallinity and shape. Herein, we propose an advanced biomimetic approach for the design of ordered hybrid mineralized nano-objects with highly anisotropic features. For this purpose, we explore the combination of three key concepts in biomineralization that provide a unique environment to control CaP nucleation and growth: (i) self-assembly and self-organization of biomacromolecules, (ii) enzymatic heterogeneous catalysis, and (iii) mineralization in confinement. We use track-etched templates that display a high density of aligned monodisperse pores so that each nanopore may serve as a miniaturized mineralization bioreactor. We enhance the control of the crystallization in these systems by coassembling type I collagen and enzymes within the nanopores, which allows us to tune the main characteristics of the mineralized nano-objects. Indeed, the synergy between the gradual release of one of the mineral ion precursors by the enzyme and the role of the collagen in the regulation of the mineralization allowed to control their morphology, chemical composition, crystal phase, and mechanical stability. Moreover, we provide clear insight into the prominent role of collagen in the mineralization process in confinement. In the absence of collagen, the fraction of crystalline nano-objects increases to the detriment of amorphous ones when increasing the degree of confinement. By contrast, the presence of collagen-based multilayers disturbs the influence of confinement on the mineralization: platelet-like crystalline hydroxyapatite form, independently of the degree of confinement. This suggests that the incorporation of collagen is an efficient way to supplement the lack of confinement while reinforcing mechanical stability to the highly anisotropic materials. From a bioengineering perspective, this biomineralization-inspired approach opens up new horizons for the design of anisotropic mineralized nano-objects that are highly sought after to develop biomaterials or tend to replicate the complex structure of native mineralized extracellular matrices.

Porous Layer-by-Layer Films Assembled Using Polyelectrolyte Blend to Control Wetting Properties

Porous layer-by-layer (LbL) films have been employed for the implementation of superwetting surfaces, but they are limited to the LbL films consisting of only two oppositely charged polyelectrolytes. In this study, LbL films were assembled using a cationic polymer blend of branched poly(ethylene imine) (BPEI) and poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH), and anionic poly(acrylic acid); they were then acid-treated at pH 1.8-2.0 to create a porous structure. The films of 100% BPEI exhibited a relatively smooth surface, whereas those of the 100% PAH exhibited porous surfaces. However, various surface morphologies were obtained when BPEI and PAH were blended. When coated with fluorinated silane, films with 50% and 100% PAH exhibited relatively higher water contact angles (WCAs). In particular, films with 50% PAH exhibited the highest WCA of 140-150° when treated at pH 1.8. These fluorinated films were further infused with lubricant oil to determine their feasibility as slippery surfaces. The water and oil sliding angles were in the range of 10-20° and 5-10°, respectively. Films prepared with the BPEI/PAH blend showed lower water slide angles than those prepared with 100% BPEI or PAH. Acid treatment of LbL films assembled using a polyelectrolyte blend can effectively control surface morphologies and can potentially be applied in superwetting.

Single-Step Application of Polyelectrolyte Complex Films as Oxygen Barrier Coatings

Polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) films such as polyelectrolyte multilayers have demonstrated excellent oxygen barrier properties, but unfortunately, the established layer-by-layer approaches are laborious and difficult to scale up. Here, we demonstrate a novel single-step approach to produce a PEC film, based on the use of a volatile base. Ammonia was used to adjust the pH of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) so that direct complexation was avoided when it was mixed with polyethylenimine (PEI). Different charge ratios of homogeneous PEI/PAA solutions were successfully prepared and phase diagrams varying the concentration of ammonia or polyelectrolyte were made to study the phase behavior of PEI, PAA, and ammonia in water. Transparent ∼1 μm thick films were successfully deposited on biaxially orientated polypropylene (BOPP) sheets using a Meyer rod. After casting the films, the decrease in pH, caused by the evaporation of ammonia, triggered the complexation during drying. The oxygen permeation properties of films with different ratios and single polyelectrolytes were tested. All films displayed excellent oxygen barrier properties, with an oxygen permeation below 4 cm³·m^-2·day^-1·atm^-1 (<0.002 barrer) at the optimum ratio of 2:1 PEI/PAA. This ammonia evaporation-induced complexation approach creates a new pathway to prepare PEC films in one simple step while allowing the possibility of recycling.

Antibacterial Activity of Photocatalytic Metal Oxide Thin Films Deposited by Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembly

This paper reports the use of the Layer-by-Layer self-assembly (LbL) as an efficient technique for the fabrication of thin-films with antibacterial activity. The LbL coatings are composed of a positive polyelectrolyte such as Poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and an anionic polyelectrolyte such as Poly(sodium 4-styrene sulfonate) solution (PSS). In addition, these polyelectrolytes can be also used as an adequate encapsulating agent of specific metal oxide precursors such as titanium dioxide (TiO₂) and iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) nanoparticles, making possible the fabrication of hybrid thin films composed of organic polymeric chains related to the polyelectrolytes and inorganic structure associated to the metal oxide nanoparticles. Four different LbL coatings have been fabricated and a comparative study about the resultant topographical, optical and wettability properties is presented by using light interferometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), UV-Vis spectroscopy and water contact angle (WCA) measurements. In addition, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) has been also employed in order to corroborate the presence of metal oxide precursors inside the polymeric chains of the polyelectrolytes. Finally, the antibacterial tests have demonstrated that LbL coatings composed of metal oxide nanoparticles produce an enhancement in the efficacy and antibacterial activity.

pH-responsive pickering foam created from self-aggregate polymer using dynamic covalent bond

HYPOTHESIS

Responsive surfactant systems based on dynamic covalent bond exhibit an unsatisfactory foamability and foam stability, despite their documented functionality in emulsions. As such we anticipate that the foaming performance should be improved by introducing Pickering effect, which is possible when the responsiveness of the dynamic covenant bonds controls not only the hydrophobicity of polymers but also their aggregation behavior (to form nanoparticles).

EXPERIMENTS

Here we created surface active nanoparticles made from self-aggregated polymers consisting of PAH (polyallylamine hydrochloride)-BA (benzaldehyde). The covalent imine bonds between originally hydrophilic PAH and hydrophobic BA are dynamic in that their formation and breakage is a function of solution pH, confirmed by ¹H NMR and dynamic interfacial tension measurement.

FINDINGS

At pH 7.4, a stable foam is achieved in the PAH-BA (amino to aldehyde ratio at 1:0.2) solution; while at pH 2.5, it defoams due to breakage of dynamic bonds corresponding to the measured diminishing surface activity. The reversibility of foaming-defoaming has been demonstrated by alternatively changing pH for multiple cycles, with the foaming performance persistent. The foam stability can be improved by more hydrophobic compounds e.g. at a lower amino to aldehyde ratio or using PAH-cinnamaldehyde (CA). The reversible and responsive foaming demonstrated in a Pickering system provides a new method to create novel foaming systems with properties desirable to many applications.

Modification Approaches to Enhance Dehydration Properties of Sodium Alginate-Based Pervaporation Membranes

Transport characteristics of sodium alginate (SA) membranes cross-linked with CaCl₂ and modified with fullerenol and fullerene derivative with L-arginine for pervaporation dehydration were improved applying various approaches, including the selection of a porous substrate for the creation of a thin selective SA-based layer, and the deposition of nano-sized polyelectrolyte (PEL) layers through the use of a layer-by-layer (Lbl) method. The impacts of commercial porous substrates made of polyacrylonitrile (PAN), regenerated cellulose, and aromatic polysulfone amide were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), standard porosimetry method, and water filtration. The effects of PEL combinations (such as poly(sodium 4-styrene sulfonate) (PSS)/SA, PSS/chitosan, PSS/polyacrylic acid, PSS/poly(allylamine hydrochloride)) and the number of PEL bilayers deposited with the Lbl technique on the properties of the SA and SA/fullerene derivative membranes were studied by SEM, AFM, and contact angle measurements. The best characteristics were exhibited by a cross-linked PAN-supported SA/fullerenol (5%) membrane with five PSS/SA bilayers: permeation flux of 0.68–1.38 kg/(m²h), 0.18–1.55 kg/(m²h), and 0.50–1.15 kg/(m²h), and over 99.7, 99.0, and 89.0 wt.% water in the permeate for the pervaporation dehydration of isopropanol (12–70 wt.% water), ethanol (4–70 wt.% water), and tetrahydrofuran (5.7–70 wt.% water), respectively. It was demonstrated that the mutual application of bulk and surface modifications essentially improved the membrane’s characteristics in pervaporation dehydration.

Chitosan-based smart hybrid materials: a physico-chemical perspective

Chitosan is one of the most studied cationic polysaccharides. Due to its unique characteristics of being water soluble, biocompatible, biodegradable, and non-toxic, this macromolecule is highly attractive for a broad range of applications. In addition, its complex behavior and the number of ways it interacts with different components in a system result in an astonishing variety of chitosan-based materials. Herein, we present recent advances in the field of chitosan-based materials from a physico-chemical perspective, with focus on aqueous mixtures with oppositely charged colloids, chitosan-based thin films, and nanocomposite systems. In this review, we focus our attention on the physico-chemical properties of chitosan-based materials, including solubility, mechanical resistance, barrier properties, and thermal behaviour, and provide a link to the chemical peculiarities of chitosan, such as its intrinsic low solubility, high rigidity, large charge separation, and strong tendency to form intra- and inter-molecular hydrogen bonds.

Hybrid chemoenzymatic heterogeneous catalyst prepared in one step from zeolite nanocrystals and enzyme-polyelectrolyte complexes

The combination of inorganic heterogeneous catalysts and enzymes, in so-called hybrid chemoenzymatic heterogeneous catalysts (HCEHCs), is an attractive strategy to effectively run chemoenzymatic reactions. Yet, the preparation of such bifunctional materials remains challenging because both the inorganic and the biological moieties must be integrated in the same solid, while preserving their intrinsic activity. Combining an enzyme and a zeolite, for example, is complicated because the pores of the zeolite are too small to accommodate the enzyme and a covalent anchorage on the surface is often ineffective. Herein, we developed a new pathway to prepare a nanostructured hybrid catalyst built from glucose oxidase and TS-1 zeolite. Such hybrid material can catalyse the in situ biocatalytic formation of H₂O₂, which is subsequently used by the zeolite to trigger the epoxidation of allylic alcohol. Starting from an enzymatic solution and a suspension of zeolite nanocrystals, the hybrid catalyst is obtained in one step, using a continuous spray drying method. While enzymes are expectedly unable to resist the conditions used in spray drying (temperature, shear stress, etc.), we leverage on the preparation of "enzyme-polyelectrolyte complexes" (EPCs) to increase the enzyme stability. Interestingly, the use of EPCs also prevents enzyme leaching and appears to stabilize the enzyme against pH changes. We show that the one-pot preparation by spray drying gives access to hybrid chemoenzymatic heterogeneous catalysts with unprecedented performance in the targeted chemoenzymatic reaction. The bifunctional catalyst performs much better than the two catalysts operating as separate entities. We anticipate that this strategy could be used as an adaptable method to prepare other types of multifunctional materials starting from a library of functional nanobuilding blocks and biomolecules.

Robust cellulose-based composite adsorption membrane for heavy metal removal

Adsorptive membranes offer an effective mode to remove heavy metal ions from contaminated water, due to the synergies made possible by low-cost, high-affinity adsorbents and highly scalable filtration in one system. However, the development of adsorptive membranes is hampered by their instability in the aqueous phase and low binding affinity with a broad spectrum of heavy metals in a reasonable flux. Herein, a regenerated cellulose support membrane is strongly grafted with stable and covalent-bonded polyelectrolyte active layers synthesized by a reactive layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly method. The LBL assembled layers have been successfully tested by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy. The covalent bonding provides the membrane with long-term stability and a tunable water flux compared to a membrane assembled by electrostatic bonding. The maximum adsorption capacity of the membrane active layers can reach up to 194 mg/g, showing more efficient adsorption at lower heavy metal concentration and higher pH value of feed solution. The membrane can remove multiple ions, such as Cu, Pb, and Cd, by adsorption and is easy to be regenerated and recovered. The strong covalent bonding can extend the membrane lifetime in water purification to remove multiple heavy metals at high efficiency.

Multiswitchable photoacid-hydroxyflavylium-polyelectrolyte nano-assemblies

Light- and pH-responsive nano-assemblies with switchable size and structure are formed by the association of a photoacid, anthocyanidin, and a linear polyelectrolyte in aqueous solution. Specifically, anionic disulfonated naphthol derivatives, neutral hydroxyflavylium, and cationic poly(allylamine) are used as building blocks for the ternary electrostatic self-assembly, forming well-defined supramolecular assemblies with tunable sizes of 50 to 500 nm. Due to the network of possible chemical reactions for the anthocyanidin and the excited-state dissociation of the photoacid upon irradiation, different ways to alter the ternary system through external triggering are accessible. The structure and trigger effects can be controlled through the component ratios of the samples. Dynamic and static light scattering (DLS, SLS) and ζ-potential measurements were applied to study the size and the stability of the particles, and information on the molecular structure was gained by UV-vis spectroscopy. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) provided information on the thermodynamics and interaction forces in the supramolecular assembly formation.

Mechanism of Permselectivity Enhancement in Polyelectrolyte-Dense Nanofiltration Membranes via Surfactant-Assembly Intercalation

Enhancing the water permeance while maintaining the solute rejection of a nanofiltration (NF) membrane can potentially result in significant cost-reduction for NF-a membrane process that excels in several unique environmental applications of growing interests. In this work, we demonstrate for the first time that intercalation of surfactant self-assemblies in the polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM) can lead to significant performance enhancement of salt-rejecting dense NF membranes fabricated using layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolytes. Specifically, the intercalation of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) bilayers in a PEM comprising poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) and poly (sodium 4-styrenesulfonate) (PSS) resulted in a decrease in PEM thickness, increase in pore size, and a smoother and more hydrophilic surface. The water permeance of the resulting PEM NF membrane increased by 100% without compromising the rejection of Na₂SO₄. Experiments with a quartz crystal microbalance also provide direct evidence that the intercalation of the surfactants substantially reduces the subsequent adsorption of the polyelectrolytes of a similar charge. Based on its mechanism of performance enhancement, surfactant intercalation may become a universally applicable and highly cost-effective approach for dramatically enhancing the performance of PEM NF membranes.

Structure and Hydration of Asymmetric Polyelectrolyte Multilayers as Studied by Neutron Reflectometry: Connecting Multilayer Structure to Superior Membrane Performance

Porous membranes coated with so-called asymmetric polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) have recently been shown to outperform commercial membranes for micropollutant removal. They consist of open support layers of poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS)/poly(allylamine) (PAH) capped by denser and more selective layers of either PAH/poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) or PAH/Nafion. Unfortunately, the structure of these asymmetric PEMs, and thus their superior membrane performance, is poorly understood. In this work, neutron reflectometry (NR) is employed to elucidate the multilayered structure and hydration of these asymmetric PEMs. NR reveals that the multilayers are indeed asymmetric in structure, with distinct bottom and top multilayers when air-dried and when solvated. The low hydration of the top [PAH/Nafion] multilayer, together with the low water permeance of comparable [PAH/Nafion]-capped PEM membranes, demonstrate that it is a reduction in hydration that makes these separation layers denser and more selective. In contrast, the [PAH/PAA] capping multilayers are more hydrated than the support [PSS/PAH] layers, signifying that, here, densification of the separation layer occurs through a decrease in the mesh size (or effective pore size) of the top layer due to the higher charge density of the PAH/PAA couple compared to the PSS/PAH couple. The [PAH/PAA] and [PAH/Nafion] separation layers are extremely thin (∼4.5 and ∼7 nm, respectively), confirming that these asymmetric PEM membranes have some of the thinnest separation layers ever achieved.

Polymer Complex Fiber for Linear Actuation with High Working Density and Stable Catch-State

Fiber-based linear actuators (FLAs) are a key module in microrobots and biomimetic devices. It has been a great challenge to develop linear actuators that can balance output stress and output strain and hence provide high working density. Herein, we report the preparation and performance of a FLA system made from commercially available materials and allowed mass production at relatively low cost. The FLAs can lift up or lay down objects more than 1000 times of its own weight during active contraction and expansion under environmental stimuli. The contraction ratio and output stress can reach 30% and 0.24 MPa, respectively, and the sustainable work density is about 80 J/kg, which is 10 times the typical value of human skeletal muscles. Especially, the FLAs show stable catch-state (lock-up state) with no creeping and no further energy consumption.

Weak polyelectrolyte-based multilayers via layer-by-layer assembly: Approaches, properties, and applications

Layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly is a nanoscale technique with great versatility, simplicity and molecular-level processing of various nanoscopic materials. Weak polyelectrolytes have been used as major building blocks for LbL assembly providing a fundamental and versatile tool to study the underlying mechanisms and practical applications of LbL assembly due to its pH-responsive charge density and molecular conformation. Because of high-density uncompensated charges and high-chain mobility, weak polyelectrolyte exponential multilayer growth is considered one of the fastest developing areas for organized molecular films. In this article, we systematically review the current status and developments of weak polyelectrolyte-based multilayers including all-weak-polyelectrolyte multilayers, weak polyelectrolytes/other components (e.g. strong polyelectrolytes, neutral polymers, and nanoparticles) multilayers, and exponentially grown weak polyelectrolyte multilayers. Several key aspects of weak polyelectrolytes are highlighted including the pH-controllable properties, the responsiveness to environmental pH, and synergetic functions obtained from weak polyelectrolyte/other component multilayers. Throughout this review, useful applications of weak polyelectrolyte-based multilayers in drug delivery, tunable biointerfaces, nanoreactors for synthesis of nanostructures, solid state electrolytes, membrane separation, and sensors are highlighted, and promising future directions in the area of weak polyelectrolyte-based multilayer assembly such as fabrication of multi-responsive materials, adoption of unique building blocks, investigation of internal molecular-level structure and mechanism of exponentially grown multilayers, and exploration of novel biomedical and energy applications are proposed.

Hydrogels Obtained via γ-Irradiation Based on Poly(Acrylic Acid) and Its Copolymers with 2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate

Hydrogels containing both carboxyl and hydroxyl functional groups have been prepared by γ-irradiation of either aqueous solutions of acrylic acid (AA) and mixtures of AA and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) in different ratios, or aqueous solutions of poly(AA), PAA, and poly(AA-co-HEMA) obtained via solution polymerization. A higher absorbed dose is required in order to prepare hydrogels from monomer solutions, compared with those from polymer solutions. The range for the absorbed doses was chosen so that the probability of crosslinking reactions is higher than that of degradation ones. As the radiation energy deposited in a sample increases, the equilibrium swelling degree and the average molar mass between crosslinks diminishes. Chemical transformations induced by radiation were investigated by means of FTIR spectroscopy and thermal analysis of polymers before and after irradiation. For all these systems, the formation of a three-dimensional network enhances the glass transition temperature and thermal stability, but a further increase in the crosslinking degree may have the reverse effect on the glass transition temperature. Depending on the preparation protocol and/or hydrogel composition, superabsorbent materials that can bind different compounds throughout side functional groups may be obtained.

Weak Polyampholytes at the Interface of Magnetic Nanocarriers: A Facile Catch-and-Release Platform for Dyes

We present a platform of charge-invertible core-shell hybrid particles for the selective and reversible adsorption of small charged molecules as model systems. The herein employed carrier systems consist of an iron oxide core coated with different pH-responsive polyampholytes which exhibit varying surface charge depending on the surrounding pH value. The resulting materials were used for electrostatically mediated catch-and-release experiments of either cationic or anionic dyes with the perspective to allow the pH-dependent magnetically guided transport of suitable cargo. The use of three different polyampholyte coatings (poly(2-(imidazol-1-yl)acrylic acid) (PImAA), poly(dehydroalanine) (PDha), and poly(N,N-diallylglutamate) (PDAGA)) enables a deeper understanding about how the surface net charge in combination with the charge and charge density of any cargo influences such processes. The size, surface charge, and aggregation behavior of the herein described particles were investigated via dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and pH-dependent ζ-potential measurements, whereas adsorption and release studies were investigated via UV-vis.

Stimuli-Responsive Microarray Films for Real-Time Sensing of Surrounding Media, Temperature, and Solution Properties via Diffraction Patterns

Stimuli-responsive polymers have attracted increasing attention over the years due to their ability to alter physiochemical properties upon external stimuli. However, many stimuli-responsive polymer-based sensors require specialized and expensive equipment, which limits their applications. Here an inexpensive and portable sensing platform of novel microarray films made of stimuli-responsive polymers is introduced for the real-time sensing of various environmental changes. When illuminated by laser light, microarray films generate diffraction patterns that can reflect and magnify variations of the periodical microstructure induced by surrounding invisible parameters in real time. Stimuli-responsive polyelectrolyte complexes are structured into micropillar arrays to monitor the pH variation and the presence of calcium ions based on reversible swelling/shrinking behaviors of the polymers. A pH hysteretic effect of the selected polyelectrolyte pair is determined and explained. Furthermore, polycaprolactone microchamber arrays are fabricated and display a thermal-driven structural change, which is exploited for photonic threshold temperature detection. Experimentally observed diffraction patterns are additionally compared with rigorous coupled-wave analysis simulations that prove that induced diffraction pattern alterations are solely caused by geometrical microstructure changes. Microarray-based diffraction patterns are a novel sensing platform with versatile sensing capabilities that will likely pave the way for the use of microarray structures as photonic sensors.

Polyelectrolyte Based Sensors as Key to Achieve Quantitative Electronic Tongues: Detection of Triclosan on Aqueous Environmental Matrices

Triclosan (TCS) is a bacteriostatic used in household items that promotes antimicrobial resistance and endocrine disruption effects both to humans and biota, raising health concerns. In this sense, new devices for its continuous monitoring in complex matrices are needed. In this work, sensors, based on polyelectrolyte layer-by-layer (LbL) films prepared onto gold interdigitated electrodes (IDE), were studied. An electronic tongue array, composed of (polyethyleneimine (PEI)/polysodium 4-styrenesulfonate (PSS))₅ and (poly(allylamine hydrochloride/graphene oxide)₅ LbL films together with gold IDE without coating were used to detect TCS concentrations (10⁻¹⁵–10⁻⁵ M). Electrical impedance spectroscopy was used as means of transduction and the obtained data was analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA). The electronic tongue was tested in deionized water, mineral water and wastewater matrices showing its ability to (1) distinguish between TCS doped and non-doped solutions and (2) sort out the TCS range of concentrations. Regarding film stability, strong polyelectrolytes, as (PEI/PSS)_n, presented more firmness and no significant desorption when immersed in wastewater. Finally, the PCA data of gold IDE and (PEI/PSS)₅ sensors, for the mineral water and wastewater matrices, respectively, showed the ability to distinguish both matrices. A sensitivity value of 0.19 ± 0.02 per decade to TCS concentration and a resolution of 0.13 pM were found through the PCA second principal component.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy investigation of water microenvironments in polyelectrolyte multilayers at varying temperatures

Polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) are thin films formed by the alternating deposition of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes. Water plays an important role in influencing the physical properties of PEMs, as it can act both as a plasticizer and swelling agent. However, the way in which water molecules distribute around and hydrate ion pairs has not been fully quantified with respect to both temperature and ionic strength. Here, we examine the effects of temperature and ionic strength on the hydration microenvironments of fully immersed poly(diallyldimethylammonium)/polystyrene sulfonate (PDADMA/PSS) PEMs. This is accomplished by tracking the OD stretch peak using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy at 0.25-1.5 M NaCl and 35-70 °C. The OD stretch peak is deconvoluted into three peaks: (1) high frequency water, which represents a tightly bound microenvironment, (2) low frequency water, which represents a loosely bound microenvironment, and (3) bulk water. In general, the majority of water absorbed into the PEM exists in a bound state, with little-to-no bulk water observed. Increasing temperature slightly reduces the amount of absorbed water, while addition of salt increases the amount of absorbed water. Finally, a van't Hoff analysis is applied to estimate the enthalpy (11-22 kJ mol-1) and entropy (48-79 kJ mol-1 K-1) of water exchanging from low to high frequency states.

Self-Reorganizing Multilayer to Release Free Proteins from Self-Assemblies

The deconstruction of self-assemblies based on proteins and polyelectrolytes (PEs) and the subsequent release of intact proteins require either a switch from attractive to repulsive mode or particular PE properties (degradability, responsiveness, or differential affinity). Here, an interfacial self-assembly made of three charged species, i.e., a strong polyacid complexed with a protein and a weak polybase, is shown to self-reorganize upon a shift in pH. When the pH takes a value that is one pH unit lower than the pK_a of the weak polybase, the two PEs associate, thereby releasing the protein. The disassembly thus relies on associative forces rather than on the alteration of the protein-PE coupling strength. Hence, it allows the release of a protein using two simple PEs. The method is illustrated for lysozyme, which recovered up to half of its initial bioactivity after release. In contrast, a control self-assembled film that could not reorganize maintained only about 21% of the protein bioactivity after disassembly. This versatile approach is valuable for drug delivery devices and biomaterials as it allows the release of large numbers of active protein molecules.

Organic Thermoelectric Multilayers with High Stretchiness

A stretchable organic thermoelectric multilayer is achieved by alternately depositing bilayers (BL) of 0.1 wt% polyethylene oxide (PEO) and 0.03 wt% double walled carbon nanotubes (DWNT), dispersed with 0.1 wt% polyacrylic acid (PAA), by the layer-by-layer assembly technique. A 25 BL thin film (~500 nm thick), composed of a PEO/DWNT-PAA sequence, displays electrical conductivity of 19.6 S/cm and a Seebeck coefficient of 60 µV/K, which results in a power factor of 7.1 µW/m·K2. The resultant nanocomposite exhibits a crack-free surface up to 30% strain and retains its thermoelectric performance, decreasing only 10% relative to the unstretched one. Even after 1000 cycles of bending and twisting, the thermoelectric behavior of this nanocomposite is stable. The synergistic combination of the elastomeric mechanical properties (originated from PEO/PAA systems) and thermoelectric behaviors (resulting from a three-dimensional conjugated network of DWNT) opens up the possibility of achieving various applications such as wearable electronics and sensors that require high mechanical compliance.

Diffusion of nanoparticles within a semidilute polyelectrolyte solution

We studied the diffusion of charged gold nanoparticles within a semidilute solution of weakly charged polyelectrolyte, polyacrylic acid (PAA) of high molecular weight (M_w = 10⁶ g mol^-1) by using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). Nanoparticle size (d) was varied between 5 nm to 40 nm and PAA volume fraction (φ) in water ranged from about 8φ* to 33φ*, where φ* is the overlap volume fraction. The reduced diffusion coefficient - defined as -D/D_o, where D is the diffusion coefficient in PAA solution and D_o is that in neat water - has a weak dependence on the particle size. D follows a power law of the form ∼φ^-0.5, which can be explained by a mean-field hydrodynamic theory in porous medium. Additional, rheology measurements showed a zero shear rate viscosity and shear thinning, which are typical of high molecular weight polyelectrolytes.

Facile Fabrication of Room-Temperature Self-Healing, Mechanically Robust, Highly Stretchable, and Tough Polymers Using Dual Dynamic Cross-Linked Polymer Complexes

The development of polymeric materials with a combination of excellent mechanical performance and room-temperature self-healing property is still a huge challenge. Here, we report a facile method for the fabrication of dual dynamic cross-linked polymer complexes that simultaneously possess multiple remarkable mechanical properties and room-temperature self-healability by simply mixing polymers that have complementary interactions in solutions. Thanks to the synergistic effects of electrostatic and hydrogen-bonding interactions within their networks, the complexes obtained a superhigh tensile strength of 27.4 MPa and toughness of 110.0 MJ/m³ when compared with other polymers that can self-heal at room temperature. More importantly, the complexes can repair a physical cut in an ∼90% relative humid environment at room temperature with a high healing efficiency of ∼96% because of the dynamic nature of the noncovalent interactions. This method is a simple, low-cost, and widely applicable strategy for the large-scale fabrication of room-temperature self-healing materials that possess superior and controllable mechanical performances.