Tailoring CO2-Responsive Polymers and Nanohybrids for Green Chemistry and Processes

Scalable weaving of resilient membranes with on-demand superwettability for high-performance nanoemulsion separations

This study leverages the ancient craft of weaving to prepare membranes that can effectively treat oil/water mixtures, specifically challenging nanoemulsions. Drawing inspiration from the core-shell architecture of spider silk, we have engineered fibers, the fundamental building blocks for weaving membranes, that feature a mechanically robust core for tight weaving, coupled with a CO2-responsive shell that allows for on-demand wettability adjustments. Tightly weaving these fibers produces membranes with ideal pores, achieving over 99.6% separation efficiency for nanoemulsions with droplets as small as 20 nm. They offer high flux rates, on-demand self-cleaning, and can switch between sieving oil and water nanodroplets through simple CO2/N2 stimulation. Moreover, weaving can produce sufficiently large membranes (4800 cm2) to assemble a module that exhibits long-term stability and performance, surpassing state-of-the-art technologies for nanoemulsion separations, thus making industrial application a practical reality.

CO2-Responsive Water-Soluble Conjugated Polymers as a Multifunctional Fluorescent Probe for Bioimaging Applications

We describe important progress in the synthesis and development of gas-responsive water-soluble conjugated polymers (WSCPs) with potential as multifunctional fluorescent materials for biomedical imaging and probes. A water-soluble WSCP (I-PT) composed of a hydrophobic fluorescent polythiophene backbone and a hydrophilic imidazole side chain was successfully prepared through a facile and efficient two-step synthetic route. Owing to the repulsive force between the hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments and the highly sensitive carbon dioxide (CO2)- and nitrogen (N2)-responsive imidazole groups in its structure, I-PT can spontaneously self-assemble into spherical-like nanoparticles in an aqueous environment, and thus exhibits unique light absorption and fluorescence properties as well as rapid responsiveness to CO2 and N2. In addition, its structure, optical absorption/fluorescence behavior, and surface potential can be quickly turned on and off through alternating cycles of CO2 and N2 bubbling and exhibit controllable cyclic switching stability, thereby allowing effective manipulation of its hierarchical structure and chemical-physical characteristics. More importantly, a series of in vitro cell experiments confirmed that, compared to the significant cytotoxicity of pristine and N2-treated I-PT nanoparticles, CO2-treated I-PT nanoparticles exhibit extremely low cytotoxicity in normal and cancer cells and undergo greatly accelerated cellular uptake, resulting in a significant increase in the intensity and stability of their fluorescence signal in the intracellular environment. Overall, this newly discovered CO2/N2-responsive system provides new insights to effectively enhance the biocompatibility, cellular internalization, and intracellular fluorescence characteristics of WSCPs and holds great potential for biomedical imaging/sensing applications.

CO2-Switchable colloids

The development and design of CO2-switchable colloidal particles is described. A presentation of the principles of CO2 switching, especially as they apply to colloids, is followed by recent progress in the preparation of several types of colloidal particles (polymer nanoparticles, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), quantum dots, graphene, cellulose nanocrystals, carbon nanotubes) for various applications (Pickering stabilizers, catalysts, latexes), and our perspective on future opportunities.

pH-Switchable W/O Polymer Emulsion: A Promising Strategy for Rapid Dissolution of Drag Reducers

Additional hydrophilic surfactants are generally introduced into W/O emulsion drag reducer systems to enhance the dissolution capacity of polymers. The hydrophilic surfactants may decrease the stability of W/O emulsion, which leads to deterioration of polymer emulsions in the storage and transport process instead. Herein, a pH-switchable surfactant, N-(2-morpholinoethyl) oleamide (NMEO) was designed for stabilizing a W/O emulsion drag reducer. The surface activity and solubility changes occurring at pH < 6 of NMEO guaranteed the phase inversion from W/O to O/W of emulsions upon pH stimulation. Based on optimal conditions (oil-water ratio of 0.429, NMEO concentration of 3 wt%, and pH of 6.5), the inverse emulsion polymerization of poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid-co-2-acrylamide-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid) was proceeded to obtain a W/O polymer emulsion with the pH-switchable behavior. It was demonstrated that the polymer emulsions were provided with prolonged storage stability by NMEO and could be stored for at least 30 days due to the absence of hydrophilic surfactants. The polymers were released and completely dissolved within 2.5 min by pH stimulation, compared with traditional emulsion polymers and powder polymers that require 4 and 17 min, respectively. In addition, the emulsion drag reducer prepared by NMEO provided drag-reduction performance of 64.67% at 0.021 wt% concentration. The pH-switchable behavior of NMEO promotes the validity of W/O polymer emulsions along with the capacity of rapid release and solubilization, which eliminates the imbalance between the long-term storage stability and rapid solubility of traditional drag reducers. Thus, NMEO-stabilized emulsion drag reducers are expected to be a promising alternative for traditional products.

CO2-responsive gels

CO₂-responsive materials undergo a change in chemical or physical properties in response to the introduction or removal of CO₂. The use of CO₂ as a stimulus is advantageous as it is abundant, benign, inexpensive, and it does not accumulate in a system. Many CO₂-responsive materials have already been explored including polymers, latexes, surfactants, and catalysts. As a sub-set of CO₂-responsive polymers, the study of CO₂-responsive gels (insoluble, cross-linked polymers) is a unique discipline due to the unique set of changes in the gels brought about by CO₂ such as swelling or a transformed morphology. In the past 15 years, CO₂-responsive gels and self-assembled gels have been investigated for a variety of emerging potential applications, reported in 90 peer-reviewed publications. The two most widely exploited properties include the control of flow (fluids) via CO₂-triggered aggregation and their capacity for reversible CO₂ absorption-desorption, leading to applications in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) and CO₂ sequestration, respectively. In this paper, we review the preparation, properties, and applications of these CO₂-responsive gels, broadly classified by particle size as nanogels, microgels, aerogels, and macrogels. We have included a section on CO₂-induced self-assembled gels (including poly(ionic liquid) gels).

Multi-responsive on-demand drug delivery PMMA-co-PDEAEMA platform based on CO2, electric potential, and pH switchable nanofibrous membranes

This study investigated the release characteristics of curcumin (CUR)-loaded switchable poly(methyl methacrylate)-co-poly(N,N-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PMMA-co-PDEAEMA) membranes following the application of various stimuli, as well as the platform's applicability in wound dressing and tissue engineering applications. The free-radical polymerization method was used to synthesize the PMMA-co-PDEAEMA copolymer. The drug-loaded nanofibrous membrane with electric potential (EP)-, CO₂-, and pH-responsive properties was developed by the electrospinning of PMMA-co-PDEAEMA and CUR. The resulted structure was characterized by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) coupled with X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy and wide-angle X-ray scattering measurements. The release characteristics of the CUR-loaded wound covering were analyzed in various simulated environments at varying voltages, alternated CO₂/N₂ gas bubbling, and at two different pH values; the results demonstrated high drug release controllability. Loaded CUR displayed high stability and better solubility compared with free CUR. The CUR-loaded tissue also exhibited high antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and staphylococcus aureus bacteria. In addition, the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay depicted high biocompatibility of up to 95% in the CUR-loaded membrane. This platform could be a promising candidate for usage in tissue engineering and medical applications such as targeted drug delivery, biodetection, reversible cell capture-and-release systems, and biosensors.

Development of CO2-Sensitive Viscoelastic Fracturing Fluid for Low Permeability Reservoirs: A Review

There are economic and technical challenges to overcome when increasing resource recovery from low permeability reservoirs. For such reservoirs, the hydraulic fracturing plan with the development of clean and less expensive fracturing fluid plays a vital aspect in meeting the energy supply chain. Numerous recent published studies have indicated that research on worm-like micelles (WLMs) based on viscoelastic surfactant (VES) fluid has progressed substantially. This study looks at the development of CO2-sensitive viscoelastic fracturing fluid (CO2-SVFF), its applications, benefits, limitations, and drawbacks of conventional fracturing fluids. The switchable viscoelasticity of CO2-SVFF system signifies how reusing of this fluid is attained. Compared to conventional surfactants, the CO2-SVFF system can be switched to high viscosity (to fracture formation and transporting proppants) and low viscosity (easy removal after causing fracture). The effect of pH, conductivity, temperature, and rheological behaviors of CO2-SVFFs are also highlighted. Further, the aid of Gemini surfactants and nanoparticles (NPs) with low concentrations in CO2-SVFF can improve viscoelasticity and extended stability to withstand high shear rates and temperatures during the fracturing process. These studies provide insight into future knowledge that might lead to a more environmentally friendly and successful CO2-SVFFs in low-permeability reservoirs. Despite the increased application of CO2-SVFFs, there are still several challenges (i.e., formation with high-temperature range, pressure, and salinity).

Fabrication of a CO2-responsive chitosan aerogel as an effective adsorbent for the adsorption and desorption of heavy metal ions

In the traditional desorption method, strong acid is commonly used as an eluent for the regeneration of adsorbents. It is of critical economic and environmental significance to develop a chemical-free desorption method. In this study, a new CO₂-responsive chitosan aerogel adsorbent was synthesized from CO₂-responsive poly(acrylic acid-2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) and chitosan by physicochemical double crosslinking for the adsorption of Cu²⁺. Compared with the chitosan aerogel, the adsorption capacity of Cu²⁺ and mechanical properties of CO₂-responsive chitosan aerogel increased by 162% and 660%, respectively. Most importantly, after the adsorption of Cu²⁺ by CO₂-responsive chitosan aerogel, the Cu²⁺ could be desorbed by CO₂ bubbling, and the desorption rate of metal ions was more than 80%. The adsorption of Cu²⁺ by aerogel was attributed to chelation and complexation. The desorption of porous chitosan/P(AA-co-DMAEMA) aerogels (CPA) by CO₂ mainly occurred through charge repulsion of protonated ‒NH₂ and ‒N‒ groups. After 6 cycles, the adsorption capacity of CPA for metal ions still reached 70% of the initial adsorption capacity, and the desorption rate reached 75%. This novel CO₂-responsive chitosan aerogel is a highly efficient and environmentally friendly adsorbent for the adsorption and recovery of metal ions.

CO2-Responsive Water-Soluble Conjugated Polymers for In Vitro and In Vivo Biological Imaging

Water-soluble conjugated polymers (WCPs) composed of a hydrophobic polythiophene main chain with hydrophilic tertiary amine side-chains can directly self-assemble into sphere-like nano-objects in an aqueous solution due to phase separation between the hydrophilic and hydrophobic segments of the polymeric structure. Due to the presence of gas-responsive tertiary amine moieties in the spherical structure, the resulting polymers rapidly and reversibly tune their structural features, surface charge, and fluorescence performance in response to alternating carbon dioxide (CO₂) and nitrogen (N₂) bubbling, which leads to significantly enhanced fluorescence and surface charge switching properties and a stable cycle of on and off switching response. In vitro studies confirmed that the CO₂-treated polymers exhibited extremely low cytotoxicity and enhanced cellular uptake ability in normal and tumor cells, and thus possess significantly improved fluorescence stability, distribution, and endocytic uptake efficiency within cellular organisms compared to the pristine polymer. More importantly, in vivo assays demonstrated that the CO₂-treated polymers displayed excellent biocompatibility and high fluorescence enhancement in living zebrafish, whereas the fluorescence intensity and stability of zebrafish incubated with the pristine polymer decreased linearly over time. Thus, these CO₂ and N₂-responsive WCPs could potentially be applied as multifunctional fluorescent probes for in vivo biological imaging.

Salt-Enhanced CO2-Responsiveness of Microgels

Here, we report a distinct mechanism for harnessing CO₂-responsiveness through enhancing CO₂ capture ability. The finding is demonstrated on the microgels that are composed of oligo(ethylene glycol) and sulfonate moieties. Laser light scattering studies on dilute aqueous dispersion of these microgels indicated a low CO₂-responsivity, which can be significantly enhanced by adding NaCl and other salts. This salt-enhanced CO₂-responsiveness of microgels can be elucidated by the antipolyelectrolyte behavior and its superposition of forming cross-links physically with CO₂ as an intermediate. Further results of the filtration experiments on microgel translocation through pores suggest the feasibility of the explanation. The finding is also supported by the CO₂ capture-release experiments on the dispersion, which can reversibly absorb and desorb CO₂.

Role of External Field in Polymerization: Mechanism and Kinetics

The past decades have witnessed an increasing interest in developing advanced polymerization techniques subjected to external fields. Various physical modulations, such as temperature, light, electricity, magnetic field, ultrasound, and microwave irradiation, are noninvasive means, having superb but distinct abilities to regulate polymerizations in terms of process intensification and spatial and temporal controls. Gas as an emerging regulator plays a distinctive role in controlling polymerization and resembles a physical regulator in some cases. This review provides a systematic overview of seven types of external-field-regulated polymerizations, ranging from chain-growth to step-growth polymerization. A detailed account of the relevant mechanism and kinetics is provided to better understand the role of each external field in polymerization. In addition, given the crucial role of modeling and simulation in mechanisms and kinetics investigation, an overview of model construction and typical numerical methods used in this field as well as highlights of the interaction between experiment and simulation toward kinetics in the existing systems are given. At the end, limitations and future perspectives for this field are critically discussed. This state-of-the-art research progress not only provides the fundamental principles underlying external-field-regulated polymerizations but also stimulates new development of advanced polymerization methods.

CO2-Responsive Nano-Objects with Assembly-Related Aggregation-Induced Emission and Tunable Morphologies

CO₂-responsive polymeric nano-objects with assembly-related aggregation-induced emission (AIE) are obtained via polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) of 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), 2-(4-formylphenoxy)ethyl methacrylate (MAEBA), and 4-(1,2,2-triphenylvinyl)phenyl methacrylate (TPEMA). These nano-objects exhibit, depending on the feed of MAEBA, a morphology evolution process from spherical micelles to vesicles. Due to the presence of DMAEMA units, CO₂ promotes morphology transformation of the nano-objects from spheres to a mixture of "jellyfish" and vesicles and vesicles to complex vesicles. Moreover, TPEMA endows the AIE feature to these nano-objects, offering a strategy to monitor the morphology evolution process in real time. Thus, this approach is significant for exploring the assembly mechanism of copolymer in polymerization-induced self-assembly and designing multistimuli-responsive polymeric nanomaterials with tunable morphologies and sizes.