1
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Landfield H, Kalamaris N, Wang M. Extreme dependence of dynamics on concentration in highly crowded polyelectrolyte solutions. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eado4976. [PMID: 38959308 PMCID: PMC11221520 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado4976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
Charge-carrying species, such as polyelectrolytes, are vital to natural and synthetic processes that rely on their dynamic behavior. Through single-particle tracking techniques, the diffusivity of individual polyelectrolyte chains and overall system viscosity are determined for concentrated polylysine solutions. These studies show scaling dependences of D ~ c-6.1 and η ~ c7.2, much stronger than theoretical predictions, drawing the applicability of power law fits into question. Similar trends are observed in concentrated solutions prepared at various pH and counterion conditions. These hindered system dynamics appear universal to polyelectrolyte systems and are attributed to the large effective excluded volumes of polyelectrolyte chains inducing glassy dynamics. The framework of the Vrentas-Duda free-volume theory is used to compare polyelectrolyte and neutral systems. Supported by this theory, excluding counterion mass from total polymer mass results in all environmental conditions collapsing onto a common trendline. These results are applicable to crowded biological systems, such as intracellular environments where protein mobility is strongly inhibited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harrison Landfield
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
| | - Nicholas Kalamaris
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208, USA
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2
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Chan JM, Kordon AC, Wang M. Investigating the effects of the local environment on bottlebrush conformations using super-resolution microscopy. NANOSCALE 2024; 16:2409-2418. [PMID: 38230506 DOI: 10.1039/d3nr05000a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
The single-chain physics of bottlebrush polymers plays a key role in their macroscopic properties. Although efforts have been made to understand the behavior of single isolated bottlebrushes, studies on their behavior in crowded, application-relevant environments have been insufficient due to limitations in characterization techniques. Here, we use single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) to study the conformations of individual bottlebrush polymers by direct imaging. Our previous work focused on bottlebrushes in a matrix of linear polymers, where our observations suggested that their behavior was largely influenced by an entropic incompatibility between the bottlebrush side chains and the linear matrix. Instead, here we focus on systems where this effect is reduced: in solvent-swollen polymer materials and in systems entirely composed of bottlebrushes. We measure chain conformations and rigidity using persistence length (lp) as side chain molecular weight (Msc) is varied. Compared to a system of linear polymers, we observe greater flexibility of the backbone in both systems. For bottlebrushes in bottlebrush matrices, we additionally observed a scaling relationship between lp and Msc that more closely follows theoretical predictions. For the more flexible chains in both systems, we reach the edge of our resolution limit and cannot visualize the entire contour of every chain. We bypass this limitation by discussing the aspect ratios of the features within the super-resolution images.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Chan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
| | - Avram C Kordon
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
| | - Muzhou Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
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3
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Wu X, Barner-Kowollik C. Fluorescence-readout as a powerful macromolecular characterisation tool. Chem Sci 2023; 14:12815-12849. [PMID: 38023522 PMCID: PMC10664555 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc04052f] [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: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The last few decades have witnessed significant progress in synthetic macromolecular chemistry, which can provide access to diverse macromolecules with varying structural complexities, topology and functionalities, bringing us closer to the aim of controlling soft matter material properties with molecular precision. To reach this goal, the development of advanced analytical techniques, allowing for micro-, molecular level and real-time investigation, is essential. Due to their appealing features, including high sensitivity, large contrast, fast and real-time response, as well as non-invasive characteristics, fluorescence-based techniques have emerged as a powerful tool for macromolecular characterisation to provide detailed information and give new and deep insights beyond those offered by commonly applied analytical methods. Herein, we critically examine how fluorescence phenomena, principles and techniques can be effectively exploited to characterise macromolecules and soft matter materials and to further unravel their constitution, by highlighting representative examples of recent advances across major areas of polymer and materials science, ranging from polymer molecular weight and conversion, architecture, conformation to polymer self-assembly to surfaces, gels and 3D printing. Finally, we discuss the opportunities for fluorescence-readout to further advance the development of macromolecules, leading to the design of polymers and soft matter materials with pre-determined and adaptable properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingyu Wu
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT) 2 George Street Brisbane QLD 4000 Australia
| | - Christopher Barner-Kowollik
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Centre for Materials Science, Queensland University of Technology (QUT) 2 George Street Brisbane QLD 4000 Australia
- Institute of Nanotechnology (INT), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen Germany
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4
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Lyu K, Zhao Y, Zhang M, Tang J, Zhang J, Liu Y, Bian X, Chen X, Chen H, Wang D. Tracking of Protein Adsorption on Poly(l-lactic acid) Film Surfaces: The Role of Molar Mass. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:13534-13545. [PMID: 37712535 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) has been extensively utilized as a biomaterial for various biomedical applications. The first and one of the most critical steps upon contact with biological fluids is the adsorption of proteins on the material's surface. Understanding the behavior of protein adsorption is vital for guiding the synthesis and preparation of PLLA for biomedical purposes. In this study, total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy was employed to investigate the adsorption of human serum albumin (HSA) on PLLA films with different molar masses. We found that molar mass affects HSA adsorption in such a way that it affects only the adsorption rate constants, but not the desorption rate constants. Additionally, we observed that HSA adsorption is spatially heterogeneous and exhibits many strong binding sites regardless of the molar mass of the PLLA films. We found that the free volume of PLLA plays a crucial role in determining its water uptake capacity and surface hydration, consequently impacting the adsorption of HSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixuan Lyu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, P. R. China
| | - Yuehua Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
| | - Miaomiao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
| | - Jilin Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
| | - Jidong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
| | - Yanlong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
| | - Xinchao Bian
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
| | - Xuesi Chen
- Key Laboratory of Polymer Ecomaterials, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
| | - Hongbo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
| | - Dapeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, P. R. China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, P. R. China
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5
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Ito T. Single-Molecule Fluorescence Investigations of Solute Transport Dynamics in Nanostructured Membrane Separation Materials. J Phys Chem B 2023. [PMID: 37364247 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c02807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Many materials used for membrane separations are composed of nanoscale structures such as pores and domains. Such nanostructures often control the solute permeability and selectivity of the separation membranes. Thus, for future development of highly efficient separation membranes, it is important to understand the structural and chemical properties of these nanostructures and also their influences on solute transport dynamics. For the last two decades, single-molecule fluorescence techniques have been used to measure the detailed dynamics of solute molecules diffusing in various nanostructured materials, giving valuable insights into molecular transport mechanisms influenced by nanoscale material heterogeneity. This Perspective discusses recent single-molecule fluorescence studies on solute diffusion in materials relevant to membrane separations, including dense polymer films and nanoporous materials. These studies have revealed the formation and properties of nanostructures and unique transport dynamics of solute molecules manipulated by their confinement and partitioning to the nanostructures, which play key roles in membrane separations. This Perspective will also point out scientific challenges toward a thorough understanding of molecular-level mechanisms in membrane separations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takashi Ito
- Department of Chemistry, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506-0401, United States
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6
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Lee WY, Chapman DV, Yu F, Tait WRT, Thedford RP, Freychet G, Zhernenkov M, Estroff LA, Wiesner UB. Triblock Terpolymer Thin Film Nanocomposites Enabling Two-Color Optical Super-Resolution Microscopy. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Wennie Yun Lee
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Dana V. Chapman
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Fei Yu
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - William R. T. Tait
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - R. Paxton Thedford
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Guillaume Freychet
- National Synchrotron Light Source-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Mikhail Zhernenkov
- National Synchrotron Light Source-II, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, New York 11973, United States
| | - Lara A. Estroff
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Ulrich B. Wiesner
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
- Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
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7
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Landfield H, Wang M. Determination of Hydrophobic Polymer Clustering in Concentrated Aqueous Solutions through Single-Particle Tracking Diffusion Studies. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c00840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Harrison Landfield
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Muzhou Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
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8
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Chan JM, Wang M. Visualizing the Orientation of Single Polymers Induced by Spin-Coating. NANO LETTERS 2022; 22:5891-5897. [PMID: 35786930 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.2c01830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The orientation of chains within polymeric materials influences their electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties. While many techniques can infer the orientation distribution of a bulk ensemble, it is challenging to determine this information at the single-chain level, particularly in an environment of otherwise identical polymers. Here, we use single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) to visualize the directions of chains within spin-coated polymer films. We find a strong relationship between shear force and the degree and direction of orientation, and additionally, we reveal the effects of chain length and solvent evaporation rate. This work utilizes single-chain resolution to observe the important, though often overlooked, property of chain orientation in the common fabrication process of spin-coating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Chan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Muzhou Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
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9
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Ma M, Cui W, Guo Y, Yu W. Adsorption-desorption effect on physical aging in PMMA-silica nanocomposite. POLYMER 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2022.125124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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10
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Valdez S, Robertson M, Qiang Z. Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer Measurements in Polymer Science: A Review. Macromol Rapid Commun 2022; 43:e2200421. [PMID: 35689335 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202200421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) is a non-invasive characterization method for studying molecular structures and dynamics, providing high spatial resolution at nanometer scale. Over the past decades, FRET-based measurements are developed and widely implemented in synthetic polymer systems for understanding and detecting a variety of nanoscale phenomena, enabling significant advances in polymer science. In this review, the basic principles of fluorescence and FRET are briefly discussed. Several representative research areas are highlighted, where FRET spectroscopy and imaging can be employed to reveal polymer morphology and kinetics. These examples include understanding polymer micelle formation and stability, detecting guest molecule release from polymer host, characterizing supramolecular assembly, imaging composite interfaces, and determining polymer chain conformations and their diffusion kinetics. Finally, a perspective on the opportunities of FRET-based measurements is provided for further allowing their greater contributions in this exciting area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Valdez
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA
| | - Mark Robertson
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA
| | - Zhe Qiang
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA
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11
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Wang Y, Laforge F, Goun A, Rabitz H. Selective photo-excitation of molecules enabled by stimulated Raman pre-excitation. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:10062-10068. [PMID: 35416205 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp00868h] [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
Double resonance excitation, where the energies of vibrational and electronic molecular transitions are combined in a single, sequential excitation process, was introduced in the 1970s but has only been recently applied to microscopy due to the immense progress in Raman spectroscopy. The value of the technique is in combining the chemical selectivity of IR or Raman excitation with the much larger cross-sections of electronic transitions. Recently, it has been shown to be particularly suited for the detection and identification of chromophores at low concentrations and in the presence of spectral crosstalk. However, despite its low quantum yield per pulse sequence, we believe the technique has potential for selective photochemical transformations. There are some cases (e.g., the selective excitation of optogenetic switches) where the low yield may be overcome by repeated excitations to build up biochemically relevant concentrations. Here we show that double resonance excitation using general, non-resonant Raman pre-excitation is a viable candidate for selectively promoting molecules to chemically active energy levels. The use of non-resonant Raman pre-excitation is less constraining than resonant Raman (used in previous double resonance microscopy works) since the choice of Raman pump-Stokes frequencies may be rather freely chosen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yisen Wang
- GBA Branch of Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510535, China
| | - Francois Laforge
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA.
| | - Alexei Goun
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA.
| | - Herschel Rabitz
- Department of Chemistry, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA.
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12
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Ito S, Hiratsuka K, Takei S, Nishi H, Kitagawa D, Kobatake S, Miyasaka H. Spatial distribution of single guest molecules along thickness of thin films of poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate). Photochem Photobiol Sci 2022; 21:175-184. [DOI: 10.1007/s43630-021-00147-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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13
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Chan JM, Kordon AC, Zhang R, Wang M. Direct visualization of bottlebrush polymer conformations in the solid state. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2109534118. [PMID: 34599105 PMCID: PMC8501853 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2109534118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the behavior of single chains is integral to the foundation of polymer science, a clear and convincing image of single chains in the solid state has still not been captured. For bottlebrush polymers, understanding their conformation in bulk materials is especially important because their extended backbones may explain their self-assembly and mechanical properties that have been attractive for many applications. Here, single-bottlebrush chains are visualized using single-molecule localization microscopy to study their conformations in a polymer melt composed of linear polymers. By observing bottlebrush polymers with different side chain lengths and grafting densities, we observe the relationship between molecular architecture and conformation. We show that bottlebrushes are significantly more rigid in the solid state than previously measured in solution, and the scaling relationships between persistence length and side chain length deviate from those predicted by theory and simulation. We discuss these discrepancies using mechanisms inspired by polymer-grafted nanoparticles, a conceptually similar system. Our work provides a platform for visualizing single-polymer chains in an environment made up entirely of other polymers, which could answer a number of open questions in polymer science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Chan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
| | - Avram C Kordon
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
| | - Ruimeng Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
| | - Muzhou Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208
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14
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Kenath GS, Karanastasis AA, Ullal CK. Super-Resolution Imaging of Spatial Heterogeneities in Model Thermosensitive Hydrogels with Implications for Their Origins. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c00754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gopal S. Kenath
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy, New York 12180, United States
| | - Apostolos A. Karanastasis
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy, New York 12180, United States
| | - Chaitanya K. Ullal
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 110 8th Street, Troy, New York 12180, United States
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15
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Robertson M, Zhou Q, Ye C, Qiang Z. Developing Anisotropy in Self-Assembled Block Copolymers: Methods, Properties, and Applications. Macromol Rapid Commun 2021; 42:e2100300. [PMID: 34272778 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202100300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Block copolymers (BCPs) self-assembly has continually attracted interest as a means to provide bottom-up control over nanostructures. While various methods have been demonstrated for efficiently ordering BCP nanodomains, most of them do not generically afford control of nanostructural orientation. For many applications of BCPs, such as energy storage, microelectronics, and separation membranes, alignment of nanodomains is a key requirement for enabling their practical use or enhancing materials performance. This review focuses on summarizing research progress on the development of anisotropy in BCP systems, covering a variety of topics from established aligning techniques, resultant material properties, and the associated applications. Specifically, the significance of aligning nanostructures and the anisotropic properties of BCPs is discussed and highlighted by demonstrating a few promising applications. Finally, the challenges and outlook are presented to further implement aligned BCPs into practical nanotechnological applications, where exciting opportunities exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Robertson
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA
| | - Qingya Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Changhuai Ye
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Zhe Qiang
- School of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, 39406, USA
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16
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Marras AE, Ting JM, Stevens KC, Tirrell MV. Advances in the Structural Design of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:7076-7089. [PMID: 34160221 PMCID: PMC9282648 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c01258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Polyelectrolyte complex micelles (PCMs) are a unique class of self-assembled nanoparticles that form with a core of associated polycations and polyanions, microphase-separated from neutral, hydrophilic coronas in aqueous solution. The hydrated nature and structural and chemical versatility make PCMs an attractive system for delivery and for fundamental polymer physics research. By leveraging block copolymer design with controlled self-assembly, fundamental structure-property relationships can be established to tune the size, morphology, and stability of PCMs precisely in pursuit of tailored nanocarriers, ultimately offering storage, protection, transport, and delivery of active ingredients. This perspective highlights recent advances in predictive PCM design, focusing on (i) structure-property relationships to target specific nanoscale dimensions and shapes and (ii) characterization of PCM dynamics primarily using time-resolved scattering techniques. We present several vignettes from these two emerging areas of PCM research and discuss key opportunities for PCM design to advance precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander E Marras
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Jeffrey M Ting
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Kaden C Stevens
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Matthew V Tirrell
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
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17
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Danielsen SPO, Beech HK, Wang S, El-Zaatari BM, Wang X, Sapir L, Ouchi T, Wang Z, Johnson PN, Hu Y, Lundberg DJ, Stoychev G, Craig SL, Johnson JA, Kalow JA, Olsen BD, Rubinstein M. Molecular Characterization of Polymer Networks. Chem Rev 2021; 121:5042-5092. [PMID: 33792299 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.0c01304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Polymer networks are complex systems consisting of molecular components. Whereas the properties of the individual components are typically well understood by most chemists, translating that chemical insight into polymer networks themselves is limited by the statistical and poorly defined nature of network structures. As a result, it is challenging, if not currently impossible, to extrapolate from the molecular behavior of components to the full range of performance and properties of the entire polymer network. Polymer networks therefore present an unrealized, important, and interdisciplinary opportunity to exert molecular-level, chemical control on material macroscopic properties. A barrier to sophisticated molecular approaches to polymer networks is that the techniques for characterizing the molecular structure of networks are often unfamiliar to many scientists. Here, we present a critical overview of the current characterization techniques available to understand the relation between the molecular properties and the resulting performance and behavior of polymer networks, in the absence of added fillers. We highlight the methods available to characterize the chemistry and molecular-level properties of individual polymer strands and junctions, the gelation process by which strands form networks, the structure of the resulting network, and the dynamics and mechanics of the final material. The purpose is not to serve as a detailed manual for conducting these measurements but rather to unify the underlying principles, point out remaining challenges, and provide a concise overview by which chemists can plan characterization strategies that suit their research objectives. Because polymer networks cannot often be sufficiently characterized with a single method, strategic combinations of multiple techniques are typically required for their molecular characterization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott P O Danielsen
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Haley K Beech
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Shu Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Bassil M El-Zaatari
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Xiaodi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | | | | | - Zi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Patricia N Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Yixin Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - David J Lundberg
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Georgi Stoychev
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Stephen L Craig
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Jeremiah A Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Julia A Kalow
- Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, United States
| | - Bradley D Olsen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Michael Rubinstein
- Marsico Lung Institute, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States.,Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Physics, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States.,World Primer Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (WPI-ICReDD), Hokkaido University, Kita 21 Nishi 10, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0021, Japan
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