1
|
Moghimi E, Chubak I, Ntetsikas K, Polymeropoulos G, Wang X, Carillo C, Statt A, Cipelletti L, Mortensen K, Hadjichristidis N, Panagiotopoulos AZ, Likos CN, Vlassopoulos D. Interpenetrated and Bridged Nanocylinders from Self-Assembled Star Block Copolymers. Macromolecules 2024; 57:926-939. [PMID: 38911231 PMCID: PMC11190992 DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.3c02088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
The design of functional polymeric materials with tunable response requires a synergetic use of macromolecular architecture and interactions. Here, we combine experiments with computer simulations to demonstrate how physical properties of gels can be tailored at the molecular level, using star block copolymers with alternating block sequences as a paradigm. Telechelic star polymers containing attractive outer blocks self-assemble into soft patchy nanoparticles, whereas their mirror-image inverted architecture with inner attractive blocks yields micelles. In concentrated solutions, bridged and interpenetrated hexagonally packed nanocylinders are formed, respectively, with distinct structural and rheological properties. The phase diagrams exhibit a peculiar re-entrance where the hexagonal phase melts upon both heating and cooling because of solvent-block and block-block interactions. The bridged nanostructure is characterized by similar deformability, extended structural coherence, enhanced elasticity, and yield stress compared to micelles or typical colloidal gels, which make them promising and versatile materials for diverse applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Esmaeel Moghimi
- Institute
of Electronic Structure and Laser, FORTH, Heraklion 71110, Crete, Greece
- Department
of Materials Science and Technology, University
of Crete, Heraklion 71003, Crete, Greece
| | - Iurii Chubak
- Faculty
of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
- Physico-Chimie
des électrolytes et Nanosystèmes Interfaciaux, Sorbonne Université CNRS, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Konstantinos Ntetsikas
- Polymer
Synthesis Laboratory, Chemistry Program, KAUST Catalysis Center, Physical
Sciences and Engineering Division, King
Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Georgios Polymeropoulos
- Polymer
Synthesis Laboratory, Chemistry Program, KAUST Catalysis Center, Physical
Sciences and Engineering Division, King
Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Xin Wang
- Polymer
Synthesis Laboratory, Chemistry Program, KAUST Catalysis Center, Physical
Sciences and Engineering Division, King
Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Consiglia Carillo
- Institute
of Electronic Structure and Laser, FORTH, Heraklion 71110, Crete, Greece
- Department
of Materials Science and Technology, University
of Crete, Heraklion 71003, Crete, Greece
| | - Antonia Statt
- Materials
Science and Engineering, Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana−Champaign, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Luca Cipelletti
- Laboratoire
Charles Coulomb (L2C), University of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
- Institut
Universitaire de France, IUF, 75231 Paris, Cedex 05, France
| | - Kell Mortensen
- Niels
Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 5, 2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Nikos Hadjichristidis
- Polymer
Synthesis Laboratory, Chemistry Program, KAUST Catalysis Center, Physical
Sciences and Engineering Division, King
Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Christos N. Likos
- Faculty
of Physics, University of Vienna, Boltzmanngasse 5, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Dimitris Vlassopoulos
- Institute
of Electronic Structure and Laser, FORTH, Heraklion 71110, Crete, Greece
- Department
of Materials Science and Technology, University
of Crete, Heraklion 71003, Crete, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Huang S, Yang J, Hao N, Ishaq MW, Wang J, Jiang N, Li L. Conformational Transition and Interchain Association of Hypergraft HB-PS- g-P tBA Copolymer Chains with Varied Copolymer Compositions and Block Lengths in a Selective Solvent. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c01971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Huang
- Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Jinxian Yang
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Food Macromolecules Science and Processing, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Nairong Hao
- Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Muhammad Waqas Ishaq
- Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Jun Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Naisheng Jiang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Lianwei Li
- College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Food Macromolecules Science and Processing, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Li P, Davis JL, Mays JW, Wang X, Kilbey SM. Architecture- and Composition-Controlled Self-Assembly of Block Copolymers and Binary Mixtures With Crosslinkable Components: Chain Exchange Between Block Copolymer Nanoparticles. Front Chem 2022; 10:833307. [PMID: 35281559 PMCID: PMC8906501 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.833307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chain exchange behaviors in self-assembled block copolymer (BCP) nanoparticles (NPs) at room temperature are investigated through observations of structural differences between parent and binary systems of BCP NPs with and without crosslinked domains. Pairs of linear diblock or triblock, and branched star-like polystyrene-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-PVP) copolymers that self-assemble in a PVP-selective mixed solvent into BCP NPs with definite differences in size and self-assembled morphology are combined by diverse mixing protocols and at different crosslinking densities to reveal the impact of chain exchange between BCP NPs. Clear structural evolution is observed by dynamic light scattering and AFM and TEM imaging, especially in a blend of triblock + star copolymer BCP NPs. The changes are ascribed to the chain motion inherent in the dynamic equilibrium, which drives the system to a new structure, even at room temperature. Chemical crosslinking of PVP corona blocks suppresses chain exchange between the BCP NPs and freezes the nanostructures at a copolymer crosslinking density (CLD) of ∼9%. This investigation of chain exchange behaviors in BCP NPs having architectural and compositional complexity and the ability to moderate chain motion through tailoring the CLD is expected to be valuable for understanding the dynamic nature of BCP self-assemblies and diversifying the self-assembled structures adopted by these systems. These efforts may guide the rational construction of novel polymer NPs for potential use, for example, as drug delivery platforms and nanoreactors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Panpan Li
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Shandong University, Shenzhen, China
- National Engineering Research Center for Colloidal Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Jesse L. Davis
- Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Jimmy W. Mays
- Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Xu Wang
- Shenzhen Research Institute of Shandong University, Shenzhen, China
- National Engineering Research Center for Colloidal Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, China
- *Correspondence: Xu Wang, ; S. Michael Kilbey II,
| | - S. Michael Kilbey
- Department of Chemistry, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
- *Correspondence: Xu Wang, ; S. Michael Kilbey II,
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Qian S, Liu R, Han G, Shi K, Zhang W. Star amphiphilic block copolymers: synthesis via polymerization-induced self-assembly and crosslinking within nanoparticles, and solution and interfacial properties. Polym Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1039/c9py01656b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The star amphiphilic block copolymer of star s-PNIPAM-b-PS is synthesized and it shows characteristics significantly different from those of the linear block copolymer counterpart.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sijia Qian
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of the Ministry of Education
- Institute of Polymer Chemistry
- College of Chemistry
- Nankai University
- Tianjin 300071
| | - Rui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of the Ministry of Education
- Institute of Polymer Chemistry
- College of Chemistry
- Nankai University
- Tianjin 300071
| | - Guang Han
- State Key Laboratory of Special Functional Waterproof Materials
- Beijing Oriental Yuhong Waterproof Technology Co
- Ltd
- Beijing 100123
- China
| | - Keyu Shi
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of the Ministry of Education
- Institute of Polymer Chemistry
- College of Chemistry
- Nankai University
- Tianjin 300071
| | - Wangqing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of the Ministry of Education
- Institute of Polymer Chemistry
- College of Chemistry
- Nankai University
- Tianjin 300071
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wang X, Davis JL, Aden BM, Lokitz BS, Kilbey SM. Versatile Synthesis of Amine-Reactive Microgels by Self-Assembly of Azlactone-Containing Block Copolymers. Macromolecules 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b00405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xu Wang
- National Engineering Research Center for Colloidal Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, P. R. China
| | | | | | - Bradley S. Lokitz
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, One Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Weeks CA, Aden B, Kilbey SM, Janorkar AV. Synthesis and Characterization of an Array of Elastin-like Polypeptide–Polyelectrolyte Conjugates with Varying Chemistries and Amine Content for Biomedical Applications. ACS Biomater Sci Eng 2016; 2:2196-2206. [DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.6b00398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- C. Andrew Weeks
- Department
of Biomedical Materials Science, School of Dentistry, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, Mississippi 39216, United States
| | - Bethany Aden
- Departments
of Chemistry and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, 322 Buehler Hall, 1420 Circle Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - S. Michael Kilbey
- Departments
of Chemistry and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Tennessee, 322 Buehler Hall, 1420 Circle Drive, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, United States
| | - Amol V. Janorkar
- Department
of Biomedical Materials Science, School of Dentistry, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, Mississippi 39216, United States
| |
Collapse
|