Solubilisation of model adjuvants by Pluronic block copolymers

Unravelling the mechanisms of drugs partitioning phenomena in micellar systems via NMR spectroscopy

Despite extensive use of micelles in materials and colloidal science, their supramolecular organization as well as host-guest interactions within these dynamic assemblies are poorly understood. Small guest molecules in the presence of micelles undergo constant exchange between a micellar aggregate and the surrounding solution, posing a considerable challenge for their molecular level characterisation. In this work we reveal the interaction maps between small guest molecules and surfactants forming micelles via novel applications of NMR techniques supported with state-of-the-art analytical methods used in colloidal science. Model micelles composed of structurally distinct surfactants (block non-ionic polymer Pluronic® F-127, non-ionic surfactant Tween 20 or Tween 80, and ionic surfactant sodium lauryl sulphate, SLS) were selected and loaded with model small molecules of biological relevance (i.e. the drugs fluconazole, FLU or indomethacin, IMC) known to have different partition coefficients. Molecular level organization of FLU or IMC within hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains of micellar aggregates was established using the combination of NMR methods (1D ¹H NMR, 1D ¹⁹F NMR, 2D ¹H-¹H NOESY and 2D ¹H-¹⁹F HOESY, and the multifrequency-STD NMR) and corroborated with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. This is the first application of multifrequency-STD NMR to colloidal systems, enabling us to elucidate intricately detailed patterns of drug/micelle interactions in a single NMR experiment within minutes. Importantly, our results indicate that flexible surfactants, such as block copolymers and polysorbates, form micellar aggregates with a surface composed of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic domains and do not follow the classical core-shell model of the micelle. We propose that the magnitude of changes in ¹H chemical shifts corroborated with interaction maps obtained from DEEP-STD NMR and 2D NMR experiments can be used as an indicator of the strength of the guest-surfactant interactions. This NMR toolbox can be adopted for the analysis of broad range of colloidal host-guest systems from soft materials to biological systems.

Structural Characterization of Pluronic Micelles Swollen with Perfume Molecules

The insertion in nonionic polymer micelles (Pluronics F127) of seven essential oils and some of the pure compounds that compose them was investigated by complementary differential scanning calorimetry, small-angle X-ray, and neutron scattering (SAXS and SANS). The study revealed various insertion and swelling behaviors for the different oil molecules, an evidence of different interaction mechanisms involved between oils and Pluronic monomers. Thermodynamically, the addition of oil increased the micellization enthalpy due to an enhanced release of water molecules, leading subsequently to a decrease of the critical micellar temperature (CMT). Structurally, with oil, SANS revealed the presence of large aggregates at lower temperature than the CMT for which their size is maximal. Above the CMT, the size decreased and the equilibrium was reached a few degrees after the temperature corresponding to the maximum of the endothermic peak. At 37 °C, the detailed combined SANS and SAXS analysis demonstrated a partial phase separation between the oil and the poly(propylene oxide) core. The hydrophilic stabilizing poly(ethylene oxide) shell remains unchanged.

Effect of nucleoside analogue antimetabolites on the structure of PEO–PPO–PEO micelles investigated by SANS

Changes in properties and internal structures of PEO–PPO–PEO micelles upon adding drug molecules are observed by small-angle scattering techniques.

Experimental and computational study of the effect of alcohols on the solution and adsorption properties of a nonionic symmetric triblock copolymer

This study investigates the effect of alcohols on the solution and adsorption properties of symmetric triblock nonionic copolymers comprising blocks of ethylene oxide (EO) and propylene oxide (PO) (EO(37)PO(56)EO(37)). The cloud point, surface tension, critical micelle concentration (CMC), and maximum packing at the air-water interface are determined, and the latter is compared to the amount of polymer that adsorbs from solution onto polypropylene (PP) and cellulose surfaces. The interaction energy and radius of micelles are calculated by using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Equivalent MD bead parameters were used in dynamic density functional theory (DDFT) simulations to study the influence of alcohols on the phase behavior of EO(37)PO(56)EO(37) and its adsorption on PP from aqueous solutions. The simulation results agree qualitatively with the experimental observations. Ethanol acts as a good cosolvent for EO(37)PO(56)EO(37) and reduces the amount of EO(37)PO(56)EO(37) that adsorbs on PP surfaces; however, little or no influence is observed on the adsorption on cellulose. Interestingly, longer chain alcohols, such as 1-pentanol, produce the opposite effect. Overall, the solution and adsorption properties of nonionic symmetric triblock copolymers in the presence of alcohols are rationalized by changes in solvency and the hydrophobic effect.