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van Westerveld L, Pelras T, Hofman AH, Loos K, Kamperman M, Es Sayed J. Effect of Polyelectrolyte Charge Density on the Linear Viscoelastic Behavior and Processing of Complex Coacervate Adhesives. Macromolecules 2024; 57:652-663. [PMID: 38283122 PMCID: PMC10810003 DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.3c02352] [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: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
It is well-known that the phase behavior and physicochemical and adhesive properties of complex coacervates are readily tuneable with the salt concentration of the medium. For toxicity reasons, however, the maximum applicable salt concentration in biomedical applications is typically low. Consequently, other strategies must be implemented in order to optimize the properties of the resulting complex coacervates. In this work, the effect of the charge density of a strong polyanion on the properties of complex coacervates was studied. To control this charge density, statistical anionic/charge-neutral hydrophilic copolymers were synthesized by means of an elegant protection/deprotection strategy and subsequently complexed with a strong polycation. The resulting complexes were observed to have an increasing water content as well as faster relaxation dynamics, with either increasing salt concentration or decreasing charge density. Time-salt and time-salt-charge density superpositions could be performed and showed that the relaxation mechanism of the complex coacervates remained unchanged. When the charge density was decreased, lower salt concentration complexes became suitable for viscoelastic adhesion with improved injectability. Such complex coacervates are promising candidates for injectable biomedical adhesives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa van Westerveld
- Polymer
Science, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh
4, Groningen 9747 AG, The Netherlands
| | - Théophile Pelras
- Polymer
Science, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh
4, Groningen 9747 AG, The Netherlands
- Macromolecular
Chemistry and New Polymeric Materials, Zernike Institute for Advanced
Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, Groningen 9747 AG, The Netherlands
| | - Anton H. Hofman
- Polymer
Science, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh
4, Groningen 9747 AG, The Netherlands
| | - Katja Loos
- Macromolecular
Chemistry and New Polymeric Materials, Zernike Institute for Advanced
Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, Groningen 9747 AG, The Netherlands
| | - Marleen Kamperman
- Polymer
Science, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh
4, Groningen 9747 AG, The Netherlands
| | - Julien Es Sayed
- Polymer
Science, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh
4, Groningen 9747 AG, The Netherlands
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2
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van Westerveld L, Es Sayed J, de Graaf M, Hofman AH, Kamperman M, Parisi D. Hydrophobically modified complex coacervates for designing aqueous pressure-sensitive adhesives. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:8832-8848. [PMID: 37947361 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm01114c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
The rheology of complex coacervates can be elegantly tuned via the design and control of specific non-covalent hydrophobic interactions between the complexed polymer chains. The well-controlled balance between elasticity and energy dissipation makes complex coacervates perfect candidates for pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs). In this work, the polyanion poly(3-sulfopropyl methacrylate) (PSPMA) and the polycation quaternized poly(4-vinylpyridine) (QP4VP) were used to prepare complex coacervates in water. Progressive increase of hydrophobicity is introduced to the polyanion via partial deprotection of the protected precursor. Hence, the polymer chains in the complex coacervates can interact via both electrostatic (controlled by the amount of salt) and hydrophobic (controlled by the deprotection degree) interactions. It was observed that: (i) a rheological time-salt-hydrophobicity superposition principle is applicable, and can be used as a predictive tool for rheology, (ii) the slowdown of the stress relaxation dynamics, due to the increase of hydrophobic stickers (lower deprotection degree), can be captured by the sticky-Rouse model, and (iii) the systematic variation of hydrophobic stickers, amount of salt, and molecular weight of the polymers, enables the identification of optimizing parameters to design aqueous PSA systems. The presented results offer new pathways to control the rheology of complex coacervates and their applicability as PSAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa van Westerveld
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials (ZIAM), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Julien Es Sayed
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials (ZIAM), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Marijn de Graaf
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials (ZIAM), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Anton H Hofman
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials (ZIAM), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Marleen Kamperman
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials (ZIAM), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Daniele Parisi
- Engineering and Technology Institute Groningen (ENTEG), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands.
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3
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Pelras T, Eisenga A, Érsek G, Altomare A, Portale G, Kamperman M, Loos K. One-Pot Synthesis of Strong Anionic/Charge-Neutral Amphiphilic Block Copolymers. ACS Macro Lett 2023; 12:1071-1078. [PMID: 37462370 PMCID: PMC10433517 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.3c00355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Despite the ever more versatile polymerization techniques that are becoming available, the synthesis of macromolecules with tailored functionalities can remain a lengthy endeavor. This becomes more conspicuous when the implementation of incompatible chemistries (i.e., strong polyelectrolytes) within sequence-controlled polymers is desired, often requiring (i) polymerization, (ii) chain extension, and (iii) postpolymerization modification. Herein, we explore the production of strong anionic/charge-neutral block copolymers (BCPs) in a one-pot fashion. This straightforward three-step process includes the synthesis of a macroinitiator and chain extension via rapid and efficient photomediated atom transfer radical polymerization, followed by in situ deprotection to expose the polyanionic domains. The resulting BCPs, which are strong amphiphiles by nature, are capable of self-assembly in aqueous media, as evidenced by dynamic light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering, ζ-potential measurements, and transmission electron microscopy. We further demonstrate the versatility of our methodology by producing several BCPs through sampling of a single reaction mixture, enabling the straightforward production of strong polymer amphiphiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Théophile Pelras
- Macromolecular
Chemistry and New Polymeric Materials, Zernike Institute for Advanced
Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - András Eisenga
- Macromolecular
Chemistry and New Polymeric Materials, Zernike Institute for Advanced
Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
- Polymer
Science, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gábor Érsek
- Physical
Chemistry of Polymeric and Nanostructured Materials, Zernike Institute
for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Aldo Altomare
- Macromolecular
Chemistry and New Polymeric Materials, Zernike Institute for Advanced
Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Giuseppe Portale
- Physical
Chemistry of Polymeric and Nanostructured Materials, Zernike Institute
for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marleen Kamperman
- Polymer
Science, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Katja Loos
- Macromolecular
Chemistry and New Polymeric Materials, Zernike Institute for Advanced
Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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4
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Pelras T, Hofman AH, Germain LMH, Maan AMC, Loos K, Kamperman M. Strong Anionic/Charge-Neutral Block Copolymers from Cu(0)-Mediated Reversible Deactivation Radical Polymerization. Macromolecules 2022; 55:8795-8807. [PMID: 36245548 PMCID: PMC9558488 DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
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Despite recent developments in controlled polymerization
techniques,
the straightforward synthesis of block copolymers that feature both
strong anionic and charge-neutral segments remains a difficult endeavor.
In particular, solubility issues may arise during the direct synthesis
of strong amphiphiles and typical postpolymerization deprotection
often requires harsh conditions. To overcome these challenges, we
employed Cu(0)-mediated reversible deactivation radical polymerization
(Cu(0)-RDRP) on a hydrophobic isobutoxy-protected 3-sulfopropyl acrylate.
Cu(0)-RDRP enables the rapid synthesis of the polymer, reaching high
conversions and low dispersities while using a single solvent system
and low amounts of copper species. These macromolecules are straightforward
to characterize and can subsequently be deprotected in a mild yet
highly efficient fashion to expose their strongly charged nature.
Furthermore, a protected sulfonate segment could be grown from a variety
of charge-neutral macroinitiators to produce, after the use of the
same deprotection chemistry, a library of amphiphilic, double-hydrophilic
as well as thermoresponsive block copolymers (BCPs). The ability of
these various BCPs to self-assemble in aqueous media was further studied
by dynamic light scattering, ζ-potential measurements as well
as atomic force and electron microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Théophile Pelras
- Macromolecular Chemistry and New Polymeric Materials, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Anton H. Hofman
- Polymer Science, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Lieke M. H. Germain
- Polymer Science, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Anna M. C. Maan
- Polymer Science, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Katja Loos
- Macromolecular Chemistry and New Polymeric Materials, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marleen Kamperman
- Polymer Science, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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