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Shi X, Yao Y, Zhang J, Corrigan N, Boyer C. Polymerization Induced Microphase Separation of ABC Triblock Copolymers for 3D Printing Nanostructured Materials. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2305268. [PMID: 37661582 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202305268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
Polymerization-induced microphase separation (PIMS) is a versatile technique for producing nanostructured materials. In previous PIMS studies, the predominant approach involved employing homopolymers as macromolecular chain transfer agents (macroCTAs) to mediate the formation of nanostructured materials. In this article, the use of AB diblock copolymers as macroCTAs to design PIMS systems for 3D printing of nanostructured materials is investigated. Specifically, the influence of diblock copolymer composition and block sequence on the resulting nanostructures, and their subsequent impact on bulk properties is systematically investigated. Through careful manipulation of the A/B block ratios, the morphology and size of the nanodomains are successfully controlled. Remarkably, the sequence of A and B blocks significantly affects the microphase separation process, resulting in distinct morphologies. The effect can be attributed to changes in the interaction parameters (χAB, χBC, χAC) between the different block segments. Furthermore, the block sequence and composition exert profound influence on the thermomechanical, tensile, and swelling properties of 3D printed nanostructured materials. By leveraging this knowledge, it becomes possible to design advanced 3D printable materials with tailored properties, opening new avenues for material engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobing Shi
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Yin Yao
- Electron Microscope Unit, Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Jin Zhang
- School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Nathaniel Corrigan
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for Nanomedicine, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Cyrille Boyer
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for Nanomedicine, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
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Maciejewska M. Influence of the Polymerization Parameters on the Porosity and Thermal Stability of Polymeric Monoliths. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 17:2860. [PMID: 38930229 PMCID: PMC11204994 DOI: 10.3390/ma17122860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Rigid porous polymeric monoliths are robust, highly efficient, versatile stationary phases. They offer simple preparation and convenient modification provided by a whole range of synthesis factors, e.g., starting monomers, cross-linkers, initiators, porogens, polymerization techniques, and temperature. The main aim of this study was to synthesize polymeric monoliths and determine the correlation between polymerization parameters and the porosity and thermal stability of the obtained materials. Polymeric monoliths were synthesized directly in HPLC columns using N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone (NVP) and 4-vinylpiridine (4VP) as functional monomers, with trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate (TRIM) serving as the cross-linking monomer. During copolymerization a mixture of cyclohexanol/decane-1-ol was used as the pore-forming diluent. Polymerization was carried out at two different temperatures: 55 and 75 °C. As a result, monoliths with highly developed internal structure were synthesized. The value of their specific surface area was in the range of 92 m2/g to 598 m2/g, depending on the monomer composition and polymerization temperature. Thermal properties of the obtained materials were investigated by means of thermogravimetry (TG). Significant differences in thermal behavior were noticed between monoliths synthesized at 55 and 75 °C. Additionally, the poly(NVP-co-TRIM) monolith was successfully applied in GC analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Maciejewska
- Department of Polymer Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Gliniana 33, 20-614 Lublin, Poland
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Xiu Y, Bobrin VA, Corrigan N, Zhang J, Boyer C. Effect of Macromolecular Structure on Phase Separation Regime in 3D Printed Materials. Macromol Rapid Commun 2023; 44:e2300236. [PMID: 37289980 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202300236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
In this study, the fabrication of 3D-printed polymer materials with controlled phase separation using polymerization induced microphase separation (PIMS) via photoinduced 3D printing is demonstrated. While many parameters affecting the nanostructuration in PIMS processes are extensively investigated, the influence of the chain transfer agent (CTA) end group, i.e., Z-group, of macromolecular chain transfer agent (macroCTA) remains unclear as previous research has exclusively employed trithiocarbonate as the CTA end group. Herein, the effect of macroCTAs containing four different Z-groups on the formation of nanostructure of 3D printed materials is explored. The results show that the different Z-groups lead to distinct network formation and phase separation behaviors between the resins, influencing both the 3D printing process and the resulting material properties. Specifically, less reactive macroCTAs toward acrylic radical addition, such as O-alkyl xanthate and N-alkyl-N-aryl dithiocarbamate, result in translucent and brittle materials with macrophase separation morphology. In contrast, more reactive macroCTAs such as S-alkyl trithiocarbonate and 4-chloro-3,5-dimethylpyrazo dithiocarbamate produce transparent and rigid materials with nano-scale morphology. Findings of this study provide a novel approach to manipulate the nanostructure and properties of 3D printed PIMS materials, which can have important implications for materials science and engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Xiu
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for Nanomedicine, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Valentin A Bobrin
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for Nanomedicine, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Nathaniel Corrigan
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for Nanomedicine, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Jin Zhang
- School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Cyrille Boyer
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for Nanomedicine, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
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Lee K, Corrigan N, Boyer C. Polymerization Induced Microphase Separation for the Fabrication of Nanostructured Materials. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2023; 62:e202307329. [PMID: 37429822 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202307329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Polymerization induced microphase separation (PIMS) is a strategy used to develop unique nanostructures with highly useful morphologies through the microphase separation of emergent block copolymers during polymerization. In this process, nanostructures are formed with at least two chemically independent domains, where at least one domain is composed of a robust crosslinked polymer. Crucially, this synthetically simple method is readily used to develop nanostructured materials with the highly coveted co-continuous morphology, which can also be converted into mesoporous materials by selective etching of one domain. As PIMS exploits a block copolymer microphase separation mechanism, the size of each domain can be tightly controlled by modifying the size of block copolymer precursors, thus providing unparalleled control over nanostructure and resultant mesopore sizes. Since its inception 11 years ago, PIMS has been used to develop a vast inventory of advanced materials for an extensive range of applications including biomedical devices, ion exchange membranes, lithium-ion batteries, catalysis, 3D printing, and fluorescence-based sensors, among many others. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the PIMS process, summarize latest developments in PIMS chemistry, and discuss its utility in a wide variety of relevant applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenny Lee
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design (CAMD), School of Chemical Engineering, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Nathaniel Corrigan
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design (CAMD), School of Chemical Engineering, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine (ACN), School of Chemical Engineering, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Cyrille Boyer
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design (CAMD), School of Chemical Engineering, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for NanoMedicine (ACN), School of Chemical Engineering, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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Shi X, Bobrin VA, Yao Y, Zhang J, Corrigan N, Boyer C. Designing Nanostructured 3D Printed Materials by Controlling Macromolecular Architecture. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202206272. [PMID: 35732587 PMCID: PMC9544629 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202206272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Nanostructured polymeric materials play important roles in many advanced applications, however, controlling the morphologies of polymeric thermosets remains a challenge. This work uses multi-arm macroCTAs to mediate polymerization-induced microphase separation (PIMS) and prepare nanostructured materials via photoinduced 3D printing. The characteristic length scale of microphase-separated domains is determined by the macroCTA arm length, while nanoscale morphologies are controlled by the macroCTA architecture. Specifically, using 2- and 4- arm macroCTAs provides materials with different morphologies compared to analogous monofunctional linear macroCTAs at similar compositions. The mechanical properties of these nanostructured thermosets can also be tuned while maintaining the desired morphologies. Using multi-arm macroCTAs can thus broaden the scope of accessible nanostructures for extended applications, including the fabrication of actuators and potential drug delivery devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobing Shi
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design and Australian Centre for NanomedicineSchool of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSW 2052Australia
| | - Valentin A. Bobrin
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design and Australian Centre for NanomedicineSchool of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSW 2052Australia
| | - Yin Yao
- Electron Microscope UnitMark Wainwright Analytical CentreUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSW 2052Australia
| | - Jin Zhang
- School of Mechanical and Manufacturing EngineeringUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSW 2052Australia
| | - Nathaniel Corrigan
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design and Australian Centre for NanomedicineSchool of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSW 2052Australia
| | - Cyrille Boyer
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design and Australian Centre for NanomedicineSchool of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of New South WalesSydneyNSW 2052Australia
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Shi X, Bobrin VA, Yao Y, Zhang J, Corrigan N, Boyer CAJM. Designing Nanostructured 3D Printed Materials by Controlling Macromolecular Architecture. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202206272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobing Shi
- UNSW: University of New South Wales Chemical Engineering 2031 Sydney AUSTRALIA
| | - Valentin A. Bobrin
- UNSW: University of New South Wales Chemical Engineering School of Chemical Engineering 2031 Sydney AUSTRALIA
| | - Yin Yao
- UNSW: University of New South Wales Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre 2031 Sydney AUSTRALIA
| | - Jin Zhang
- UNSW: University of New South Wales School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering 2031 Sydney AUSTRALIA
| | - Nathaniel Corrigan
- UNSW: University of New South Wales School of Chemical Engineering UNSWSchool of Chemical Engineering 2031 Sydney AUSTRALIA
| | - Cyrille Andre Jean Marie Boyer
- University of New South Wales Chemical Engineering and Australian Centre for Nanomedicine and Centre for Advanced Macromolecular Design High streetApplied science building 2052 Sydney AUSTRALIA
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Nano- to macro-scale control of 3D printed materials via polymerization induced microphase separation. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3577. [PMID: 35732624 PMCID: PMC9217958 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31095-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Although 3D printing allows the macroscopic structure of objects to be easily controlled, controlling the nanostructure of 3D printed materials has rarely been reported. Herein, we report an efficient and versatile process for fabricating 3D printed materials with controlled nanoscale structural features. This approach uses resins containing macromolecular chain transfer agents (macroCTAs) which microphase separate during the photoinduced 3D printing process to form nanostructured materials. By varying the chain length of the macroCTA, we demonstrate a high level of control over the microphase separation behavior, resulting in materials with controllable nanoscale sizes and morphologies. Importantly, the bulk mechanical properties of 3D printed objects are correlated with their morphologies; transitioning from discrete globular to interpenetrating domains results in a marked improvement in mechanical performance, which is ascribed to the increased interfacial interaction between soft and hard domains. Overall, the findings of this work enable the simplified production of materials with tightly controllable nanostructures for broad potential applications.
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Bobrin VA, Lee K, Zhang J, Corrigan N, Boyer C. Nanostructure Control in 3D Printed Materials. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2107643. [PMID: 34742167 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202107643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Currently, there are no straightforward methods to 3D print materials with nanoscale control over morphological and functional properties. Here, a novel approach for the fabrication of materials with controlled nanoscale morphologies using a rapid and commercially available Digital Light Processing 3D printing technique is demonstrated. This process exploits reversible deactivation radical polymerization to control the in-situ-polymerization-induced microphase separation of 3D printing resins, which provides materials with complex architectures controllable from the macro- to nanoscale, resulting in the preparation of materials with enhanced mechanical properties. This method does not require specialized equipment or process conditions and thus represents an important development in the production of advanced materials via additive manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentin A Bobrin
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Kenny Lee
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Jin Zhang
- School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Nathaniel Corrigan
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for Nanomedicine, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
| | - Cyrille Boyer
- Cluster for Advanced Macromolecular Design, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
- Australian Centre for Nanomedicine, School of Chemical Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia
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Yadav PR, Munni MN, Campbell L, Mostofa G, Dobson L, Shittu M, Pattanayek SK, Uddin MJ, Das DB. Translation of Polymeric Microneedles for Treatment of Human Diseases: Recent Trends, Progress, and Challenges. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:1132. [PMID: 34452093 PMCID: PMC8401662 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13081132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing search for biodegradable and biocompatible microneedles (MNs) that are strong enough to penetrate skin barriers, easy to prepare, and can be translated for clinical use continues. As such, this review paper is focused upon discussing the key points (e.g., choice polymeric MNs) for the translation of MNs from laboratory to clinical practice. The review reveals that polymers are most appropriately used for dissolvable and swellable MNs due to their wide range of tunable properties and that natural polymers are an ideal material choice as they structurally mimic native cellular environments. It has also been concluded that natural and synthetic polymer combinations are useful as polymers usually lack mechanical strength, stability, or other desired properties for the fabrication and insertion of MNs. This review evaluates fabrication methods and materials choice, disease and health conditions, clinical challenges, and the future of MNs in public healthcare services, focusing on literature from the last decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prateek Ranjan Yadav
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK; (P.R.Y.); (L.C.); (L.D.); (M.S.)
- Chemical Engineering Department, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi 110016, India;
| | | | - Lauryn Campbell
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK; (P.R.Y.); (L.C.); (L.D.); (M.S.)
| | - Golam Mostofa
- Drug Delivery & Therapeutics Lab, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh; (M.N.M.); (G.M.)
| | - Lewis Dobson
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK; (P.R.Y.); (L.C.); (L.D.); (M.S.)
| | - Morayo Shittu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK; (P.R.Y.); (L.C.); (L.D.); (M.S.)
| | | | - Md. Jasim Uddin
- Drug Delivery & Therapeutics Lab, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh; (M.N.M.); (G.M.)
- Department of Pharmacy, Brac University, 66 Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh
| | - Diganta Bhusan Das
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK; (P.R.Y.); (L.C.); (L.D.); (M.S.)
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