Shaped crystalline aggregates of comb-like polyethyleneimine for biomimetic synthesis of inorganic silica materials

Cationic polymeric template-mediated preparation of silica nanocomposites

Biosilicification allows the formation of complex and delicate biogenic silica in near-neutral solutions under ambient conditions. Studies have revealed that, during biosilicification, basic amino acid residues and long-chain polyamines of organic substrates interact electrostatically with negatively charged silicate precursors in solution, catalyzing the polycondensation of silicic acid and accelerating the formation of silica. This mechanism has inspired researchers to explore polymers bearing chemical similarity with these organic matrices as cationic templates for biomimetic silicification. Such templates can be classified into two general categories based on the physical forms applied. One is a solution of water-soluble cationic polymers, either natural or synthetic, used as is for silicification. The other category includes various microscopically shaped entities made of cationic polymer-containing molecules, in the form of micelles, vesicles, crystalline aggregates, latex particles, and microgels. Combined with controlled polymerization and other techniques, these preorganized templates can be tailor designed in terms of sizes and morphologies to allow further expansion of properties and functions. In this review, notable research progress for both categories of silicification under biomimetic conditions is discussed. With the merits of silica and cationic polymers seamlessly integrated, the potential of such versatile nanocomposites in biomedical as well as energy and environmental applications is also briefly highlighted.

A unique polymersome covered by loop-cluster polyamine corona

The comb with teeth of amphiphilic block copolymer possessing hydrophilic polyethyleneimine (inside) and hydrophobic poly(2-phenyl-2-oxazoline) (outside) self-assembled into extremely stable loop-cluster covered polymersome with very thin vesicular wall (ca. 3 nm).

Bioinspired Approach to Silica Nanoparticle Synthesis Using Amine-Containing Block Copoly(vinyl ethers): Realizing Controlled Anisotropy

Core-shell polymer-silica hybrid nanoparticles smaller than 50 nm in diameter were formed in the presence of micelles of poly(2-aminoethyl vinyl ether-block-isobutyl vinyl ether) (poly(AEVE_m-b-IBVE_n)) through the hydrolysis and polycondensation of alkoxysilane in aqueous solution at a mild pH and temperature. The size of the nanoparticles as well as the number and size of the core parts were effectively controlled by varying the molecular weight of the copolymers. The polymers could be removed by calcination to give hollow silica nanoparticles with Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface areas of more than 500 m² g^-1. Among these, silica nanoparticles formed with poly(AEVE₁₁₅-b-IBVE₄₀) displayed an anisotropy of single openings in the shell. The use of an alternative copolymer, poly(AEVE-b-2-naphthoxyethyl vinyl ether) (poly(AEVE₁₁₃-b-βNpOVE₄₀)), yielded core-shell nanoparticles with less pronounced anisotropy. These results showed that the degree of anisotropy could be controlled by the rigidity of micelles; the micelle of poly(AEVE₁₁₅-b-IBVE₄₀) was more deformable during silica deposition than that of poly(AEVE₁₁₃-b-βNpOVE₄₀) in which aromatic interactions were possible. This bioinspired, environmentally friendly approach will enable large-scale production of anisotropic silica nanomaterials, opening up applications in the field of nanomedicine, optical materials, and self-assembly.

Biomimetic silica deposition promoted by sub-5 μm complexes of dicarboxylic acids/polyethyleneimine microballs: a new approach to tuning silica structures using messenger-like dicarboxylic acids

Acid–base complexes prepared from sub-5 μm polyethyleneimine microballs and dicarboxylic acids promoted silica deposition to give silica microballs with different morphological surface structures which were controlled by the structures of the acids.

Polychelated cryogels: hemoglobin adsorption from human blood

The separation and purification methods are extremely important for the hemoglobin (Hb) which is a crucial biomolecule. The adsorption technique is popular among these methods and the cryogels have been used quite much due to their macropores and interconnected flow channels. In this study, the Hb adsorption onto the Cu(II) immobilized poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-glycidyl methacrylate), poly(HEMA-GMA)-Cu(II), cryogels was investigated under different conditions (pH, interaction time, initial Hb concentration, temperature and ionic strength) to optimize adsorption conditions. The swelling test, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope (SEM), surface area (BET), elemental and ICP-OES analysis were performed for the characterization of cryogels. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) molecule was used as a Cu(II)-chelating ligand. The Hb adsorption capacity of cryogels was determined as 193.8 mg Hb/g cryogel. The isolation of Hb from human blood was also studied under optimum adsorption conditions determined and the Hb (124.5 mg/g cryogel) was isolated. The adsorption model was investigated in the light of Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models and it was determined to be more appropriate to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model.