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Kozhunova EY, Komarova GA, Anakhov MV, Gumerov RA, Potemkin II. Swift Janitor: Efficient Absorption of a Minor Component from the Mixtures of Immiscible Liquids by Thermoresponsive Macroscopic and Microscopic Hydrogels. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:57244-57250. [PMID: 36512418 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c17402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Polymer hydrogels are known to be efficient absorbents of various aqueous solutions. Along with the hydrophilicity of the polymer network, the presence of specific functional groups is required for the absorption of respective solutes. Alternatively, a selective uptake can be realized without any specific attraction of solutes to the network, which is shown in this paper. By combining experimental and simulation approaches, we demonstrated that thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) gels and microgels in compositionally strongly asymmetric water/1-octanol mixtures selectively uptake the minor (1-octanol) component. Initially swollen in water, the gels substitute water by the organic solvent upon the addition of its small fraction into aqueous solution. In turn, for microgels, it was shown that the single particles could absorb the amount of the organic liquid more than two times higher than their mass while preserving the colloidal stability. At the same time, the accumulation of 1-octanol in the networks "switches off" the temperature response. The mesoscopic computer simulations revealed a physical reason and molecular picture of the phenomenon. Absorption of the minor component by the gels is caused by the decrease in water/1-octanol interfacial tension due to the formation of the dense polymer layer at the interface. The simulations allowed tracking the evolution of the size and the internal structure of the single microgels with changing 1-octanol concentration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Yu Kozhunova
- Physics Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1-2, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Galina A Komarova
- Physics Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1-2, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Mikhail V Anakhov
- Physics Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1-2, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Rustam A Gumerov
- Physics Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1-2, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Igor I Potemkin
- Physics Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1-2, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
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Lei W, Lu X, Wu T, Yang H, Wang M. High-performance displacement by microgel-in-oil suspension in heterogeneous porous media: Microscale visualization and quantification. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 627:848-861. [PMID: 35901564 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.07.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS Preferential flow in porous media is commonly encountered and decreases the multiphase displacement efficiency. Here, we synthesized microgel-in-oil in suspension and demonstrated that microgel-in-oil as a novel additive could present self-adaptive transport behavior and introduce a novel multiphase displacement mode for improving displacement efficiency in heterogeneous porous media. EXPERIMENTS We investigated the microgel-in-oil formation process and characterized their morphology with fluorescence microscopy and Cryo-SEM. The suspension displacement performance in heterogeneous porous media was evaluated using a microfluidic chip containing a preferential flow pathway (PFP) and a parallel matrix region. The displacement results of microgel-in-oil were compared to plain microgel particles and analyzed from pore-scale particle transport behavior to macroscopic multiphase flow patterns. FINDINGS The results show that suspension with moderate microgel-in-oil yields the optimal displacement efficiency. Fewer microgel-in-oil cannot alter the flow direction, while too many microgel-in-oil would block the PFP region. The topological analysis identified that suspensions with moderate microgel-in-oil content could achieve the strongest sweeping and carrying abilities that contribute to the highest displacement efficiency. The synergistic transport of microgel-in-oil and plain microgel particles would result in local pressure fluctuations to divert displacing fluid from PFP into the matrix region, which explains the above flow behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhai Lei
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xukang Lu
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Tianjiang Wu
- Changqing Oilfield, PetroChina, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710018, China
| | - Haien Yang
- Changqing Oilfield, PetroChina, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710018, China
| | - Moran Wang
- Department of Engineering Mechanics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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Zhao J, Chu T, Hu Q, Lei Y, Liu L, Zhang G, Gao C, Zhang T, Song W. The preparation of hydroxyapatite nanowires and nanorods via aliphatic micelles as soft templates. CrystEngComm 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d2ce00220e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles were tunably synthesized via the use of an aliphatic–ethanol–water three-phase mixture system using micelles as soft templates via an emulsion–hydrothermal synergistic method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhua Zhao
- College of Chemical and Material Engineering, Quzhou University, Quzhou 324000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tao Chu
- College of Chemical and Material Engineering, Quzhou University, Quzhou 324000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qin Hu
- Institute of ZheJiang University-Quzhou, Quzhou 324000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yinlin Lei
- College of Chemical and Material Engineering, Quzhou University, Quzhou 324000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Liu Liu
- Institute of ZheJiang University-Quzhou, Quzhou 324000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Gongjun Zhang
- Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
| | - Chuanhua Gao
- College of Chemical and Material Engineering, Quzhou University, Quzhou 324000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tianqi Zhang
- College of Chemical and Material Engineering, Quzhou University, Quzhou 324000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Weijie Song
- Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ningbo 315201, China
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Kravchenko VS, Abetz V, Potemkin II. Self-assembly of gradient copolymers in a selective solvent. New structures and comparison with diblock and statistical copolymers. POLYMER 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2021.124288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Dirksen M, Kinder TA, Brändel T, Hellweg T. Temperature Controlled Loading and Release of the Anti-Inflammatory Drug Cannabidiol by Smart Microgels. Molecules 2021; 26:3181. [PMID: 34073361 PMCID: PMC8199058 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26113181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
CBD is a promising candidate for treatment of many diseases and plays a major role in the growing trend to produce high-end drugs from natural, renewable resources. In the present work, we demonstrate a way to incorporate the anti-inflammatory drug CBD into smart microgel particles. The copolymer microgels that we chose as carrier systems exhibit a volume phase transition temperature of 39 ∘C, which is just above normal body temperature and makes them ideal candidates for hyperthermia treatment. While a simple loading route of CBD was not successful due to the enormous hydrophobicity of CBD, an alternative route was developed by immersing the microgels in ethanol. Despite the expected loss of thermoresponsive behaviour of the microgel matrix due to the solvent exchange, a temperature-dependent release of CBD was detected by the material, creating an interesting question of interactions between CBD and the microgel particles in ethanol. Furthermore, the method developed for loading of the microgel particles with CBD in ethanol was further improved by a subsequent transfer of the loaded particles into water, which proves to be an even more promising approach due to the successful temperature-dependent release of the drug above the collapse temperature of the microgels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxim Dirksen
- Physical and Biophysical Chemistry, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (M.D.); (T.B.)
| | | | - Timo Brändel
- Physical and Biophysical Chemistry, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (M.D.); (T.B.)
- Daikin Chemical Europe GmbH, Am Wehrhahn 50, 40211 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Thomas Hellweg
- Physical and Biophysical Chemistry, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; (M.D.); (T.B.)
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Fernandez-Rodriguez MA, Martín-Molina A, Maldonado-Valderrama J. Microgels at interfaces, from mickering emulsions to flat interfaces and back. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 288:102350. [PMID: 33418470 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2020.102350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In this review, we cover the topic of p(NIPAM) based microgels at interfaces, revisiting classical studies in light of the newest ones. In particular, we focus on their use as emulsifiers in the so-called mickering emulsions, i.e. Pickering emulsion stabilized by soft particles. Given the complexity of the experimental characterization and simulation of these soft particles at interfaces, the review is structured in progressive complexity levels, until we reach the highly interesting and promising responsiveness to stimuli of mickering emulsions. We start from the lowest level of complexity, the current understanding of the behavior of single microgels confined at a flat interface. Then, we discuss their collective behavior upon crowding, their responsiveness at interfaces, and their macroscopic properties as microgel films. Once we have the necessary characterization tools, we proceed to discuss the complex and convoluted picture of responsive mickering emulsions. The way is rough, with current controversial and contradicting studies, but it holds promising results as well. We state open questions worth of being tackled by the Soft Matter community, and we conclude that it is worth the trouble of continuing after the master theory of microgel interfacial activity, as it will pave the way to widely adopt responsive mickering emulsions as the worthy Pickering emulsion successors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alberto Martín-Molina
- Department of Applied Physics, University of Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain; Institute Carlos I for Theoretical and Computational Physics, University of Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Julia Maldonado-Valderrama
- Department of Applied Physics, University of Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain; Excellence Unit "ModellingNature" (MNat), , University of Granada, Spain.
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Song X, Ma J, Long T, Xu X, Zhao S, Liu H. Mechanochemical Cellular Membrane Internalization of Nanohydrogels: A Large-Scale Mesoscopic Simulation. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2021; 13:123-134. [PMID: 33307670 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.0c16688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
By combining large-scale dissipative particle dynamics and steered molecular dynamics simulations, we investigate the mechanochemical cellular internalization pathways of homogeneous and heterogeneous nanohydrogels and demonstrate that membrane internalization is determined by the crosslink density and encapsulation ability of nanohydrogels. The homogeneous nanohydrogels with a high crosslink density and low encapsulation ability behave as soft nanoparticles partially wrapped by the membrane, while those with a low crosslink density and high encapsulation ability permeate into the membrane. Regardless of the crosslink density, the homogeneous nanohydrogels undergo typical dual morphological deformations. The local lipid nanodomains are identified at the contacting region between the membrane and nanohydrogels because of different diffusion behaviors between lipid and receptor molecules during the internalization process. The yolk@shell heterogeneous nanohydrogels present a different mechanochemical cellular internalization pathway. The yolk with strong affinity is directly in contact with the membrane, resulting in partial membrane wrapping, and the contacting area is much reduced when compared to homogenous nanohydrogels, leading to a smaller lipid nanodomain and thus avoiding related cellular toxicity. Our findings provide a critical mechanism understanding of the biological pathways of nanohydrogels and may guide the molecular design of the hydrogel-based materials for controlled release drug delivery, tissue engineering, and cell culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianyu Song
- Key Laboratory of Water Environment Evolution and Pollution Control in Three Gorges Reservoir, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Chongqing 404100, China
| | - Jule Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Ting Long
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xiaofei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Shuangliang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Petrochemical Resource Processing and Process Intensification Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Honglai Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering and School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
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