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Lv W, Wang Y, Fu H, Liang Z, Huang B, Jiang R, Wu J, Zhao Y. Recent advances of multifunctional zwitterionic polymers for biomedical application. Acta Biomater 2024; 181:19-45. [PMID: 38729548 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2024.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Zwitterionic polymers possess equal total positive and negative charges in the repeating units, making them electrically neutral overall. This unique property results in superhydrophilicity, which makes the zwitterionic polymers highly effective in resisting protein adsorption, thus endowing the drug carriers with long blood circulation time, inhibiting thrombus formation on biomedical devices in contact with blood, and ensuring the good sensitivity of sensors in biomedical application. Moreover, zwitterionic polymers have tumor-targeting ability and pH-responsiveness, rendering them ideal candidates for antitumor drug delivery. Additionally, the high ionic conductivity of zwitterionic polymers makes them an important raw material for ionic skin. Zwitterionic polymers exhibit remarkable resistance to bacterial adsorption and growth, proving their suitability in a wide range of biomedical applications such as ophthalmic applications, and wound dressings. In this paper, we provide an in-depth analysis of the different structures and characteristics of zwitterionic polymers and highlight their unique qualities and suitability for biomedical applications. Furthermore, we discuss the limitations and challenges that must be overcome to realize the full potential of zwitterionic polymers and present an optimistic perspective for zwitterionic polymers in the biomedical fields. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Zwitterionic polymers have a series of excellent properties such as super hydrophilicity, anti-protein adsorption, antibacterial ability and good ionic conductivity. However, biomedical applications of multifunctional zwitterionic polymers are still a major field to be explored. This review focuses on the design and application of zwitterionic polymers-based nanosystems for targeted and responsive delivery of antitumor drugs and cancer diagnostic agents. Moreover, the use of zwitterionic polymers in various biomedical applications such as biomedical devices in contact with blood, biosensors, ionic skin, ophthalmic applications and wound dressings is comprehensively described. We discuss current results and future challenges for a better understanding of multifunctional zwitterionic polymers for biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenfeng Lv
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Yanhui Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Huayu Fu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Ziyang Liang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Bangqi Huang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Ruiqin Jiang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
| | - Jun Wu
- Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering Thrust, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Nansha, Guangzhou, 511400, Guangdong, China; Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Yi Zhao
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China.
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2
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Liu B, Manica R, Liu Q, Xu Z, Klaseboer E, Yang Q. Nanoscale Transport during Liquid Film Thinning Inhibits Bubble Coalescing Behavior in Electrolyte Solutions. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2023; 131:104003. [PMID: 37739383 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.131.104003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
The long-standing puzzle of why two colliding bubbles in an electrolyte solution do not coalesce immediately upon contact is resolved. The water film between the bubbles needs to be drained out first before its rupture, i.e., coalescence. Experiments reveal clearly that the film thinning exhibits a rather sudden slowdown (around 30-50 nm), which is orders of magnitude smaller than similar experiments involving surfactants. A critical step in explaining this phenomenon is to realize that the solute concentration is different in bulk and at the surface. During thinning, this will generate an electrolyte concentration difference in film solution along the interacting region, which in turn causes a Marangoni stress to resist film thinning. We develop a film drainage model that explains the experimentally observed phenomena well. The underlying physical mechanism, that confused the scientific community for decades, is now finally revealed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Liu
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton,T6G 1H9, Canada
- School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Rogerio Manica
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton,T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Qingxia Liu
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton,T6G 1H9, Canada
- Julong college, Shenzhen Technology University, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Zhenghe Xu
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton,T6G 1H9, Canada
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Evert Klaseboer
- Institute of High Performance Computing, 1 Fusionopolis Way, Singapore 138632
| | - Qiang Yang
- School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
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3
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Urea counteracts trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) compaction of lipid membranes by modifying van der Waals interactions. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 629:165-172. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.08.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Li Q, Wen C, Yang J, Zhou X, Zhu Y, Zheng J, Cheng G, Bai J, Xu T, Ji J, Jiang S, Zhang L, Zhang P. Zwitterionic Biomaterials. Chem Rev 2022; 122:17073-17154. [PMID: 36201481 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The term "zwitterionic polymers" refers to polymers that bear a pair of oppositely charged groups in their repeating units. When these oppositely charged groups are equally distributed at the molecular level, the molecules exhibit an overall neutral charge with a strong hydration effect via ionic solvation. The strong hydration effect constitutes the foundation of a series of exceptional properties of zwitterionic materials, including resistance to protein adsorption, lubrication at interfaces, promotion of protein stabilities, antifreezing in solutions, etc. As a result, zwitterionic materials have drawn great attention in biomedical and engineering applications in recent years. In this review, we give a comprehensive and panoramic overview of zwitterionic materials, covering the fundamentals of hydration and nonfouling behaviors, different types of zwitterionic surfaces and polymers, and their biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingsi Li
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Chiyu Wen
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Xianchi Zhou
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecule Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Yingnan Zhu
- Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Drug Safety Evaluation and Research, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Chemical, Biomolecular, and Corrosion Engineering, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio 44325, United States
| | - Gang Cheng
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, United States
| | - Jie Bai
- College of Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010051, China
| | - Tong Xu
- College of Chemical Engineering, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010051, China
| | - Jian Ji
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecule Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Shaoyi Jiang
- Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Peng Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecule Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
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5
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Mandalaparthy V, Noid WG. A simple theory for interfacial properties of dilute solutions. J Chem Phys 2022; 157:034703. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0098579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that cosolute mixtures may exert significant non-additive effects upon protein stability. The corresponding liquid–vapor interfaces may provide useful insight into these non-additive effects. Accordingly, in this work, we relate the interfacial properties of dilute multicomponent solutions to the interactions between solutes. We first derive a simple model for the surface excess of solutes in terms of thermodynamic observables. We then develop a lattice-based statistical mechanical perturbation theory to derive these observables from microscopic interactions. Rather than adopting a random mixing approximation, this dilute solution theory (DST) exactly treats solute–solute interactions to lowest order in perturbation theory. Although it cannot treat concentrated solutions, Monte Carlo (MC) simulations demonstrate that DST describes the interactions in dilute solutions with much greater accuracy than regular solution theory. Importantly, DST emphasizes a fundamental distinction between the “intrinsic” and “effective” preferences of solutes for interfaces. DST predicts that three classes of solutes can be distinguished by their intrinsic preference for interfaces. While the surface preference of strong depletants is relatively insensitive to interactions, the surface preference of strong surfactants can be modulated by interactions at the interface. Moreover, DST predicts that the surface preference of weak depletants and weak surfactants can be qualitatively inverted by interactions in the bulk. We also demonstrate that DST can be extended to treat surface polarization effects and to model experimental data. MC simulations validate the accuracy of DST predictions for lattice systems that correspond to molar concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varun Mandalaparthy
- Department of Chemistry, Penn State University, University Park, State College, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
| | - W. G. Noid
- Department of Chemistry, Penn State University, University Park, State College, Pennsylvania 16802, USA
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Equilibrium Swelling of Thermo-Responsive Gels in Mixtures of Solvents. CHEMISTRY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/chemistry4030049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Thermo-responsive (TR) gels of the LCST (lower critical solution temperature) type swell in water at temperatures below their volume phase transition temperature Tc and collapse above the critical temperature. When water is partially replaced with an organic liquid, these materials demonstrate three different types of equilibrium solvent uptake diagrams at temperatures below, above, in the close vicinity of Tc. A model is developed for equilibrium swelling of TR gels in binary mixtures of solvents. It takes into account three types of phase transitions in TR gels driven by (i) aggregation of hydrophobic side groups into clusters from which solvent molecules are expelled, (ii) replacement of water with cosolvent molecules in cage-like structures surrounding these groups, and (iii) replacement of water with cosolvent as the main element of hydration shells around backbone chains. The model involves a relatively small number of material constants that are found by matching observations on covalently cross-linked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) macroscopic gels and microgels. Good agreement is demonstrated between the experimental data and results of numerical analysis. Classification is provided of the phase transition points on equilibrium swelling diagrams.
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7
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Drozdov A.D, Christiansen JD. Reentrant-Convex Swelling of Thermoresponsive Gels in Mixtures of Solvents. Ind Eng Chem Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.2c01182] [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)
- A .D. Drozdov
- Department of Materials and Production, Aalborg University, Fibigerstraede 16, Aalborg 9220, Denmark
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Wei W, Chen X, Wang X. Nanopore Sensing Technique for Studying the Hofmeister Effect. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 18:e2200921. [PMID: 35484475 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202200921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The nanopore sensing technique is an emerging method of detecting single molecules, and extensive research has gone into various fields, including nanopore sequencing and other applications of single-molecule studies. Recently, several researchers have explored the specific ion effects in nanopore channels, enabling a unique understanding of the Hofmeister effect at the single-molecule level. Herein, the recent advances of using nanopore sensing techniques are reviewed to study the Hofmeister effect and the physicochemical mechanism of this process is attempted. The challenges and goals are also discussed for the future in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weichen Wei
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Xiaojuan Chen
- Department of Nanoengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Xuejiao Wang
- Fujian Provincial University Engineering Research Center of Industrial Biocatalysis, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350007, China
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Folberth A, van der Vegt NFA. Temperature induced change of TMAO effects on hydrophobic hydration. J Chem Phys 2022; 156:184501. [DOI: 10.1063/5.0088388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The effect of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) on hydrophobic solvation and hydrophobic interactions of methane has been studied with Molecular Dynamics simulations in the temperature range between 280 and 370 K at 1 bar ambient pressure. We observe a temperature transition in the effect of TMAO on the aqueous solubility of methane. At low temperature (280 K), methane is preferentially hydrated, causing TMAO to reduce its solubility in water, while above 320 K, methane preferentially interacts with TMAO, causing TMAO to promote its solubility in water. Based on a statistical-mechanical analysis of the excess chemical potential of methane, we find that the reversible work of creating a repulsive methane cavity opposes the solubility of methane in TMAO/water solution more than in pure water. Below 320 K, this solvent-excluded volume effect overcompensates the contribution of methane–TMAO van der Waals interactions, which promote the solvation of methane and are observed at all temperatures. These van der Waals interactions with the methyl groups of TMAO tip the balance above 320 K where the effect of TMAO on solvent-excluded volume is smaller. We furthermore find that the effective attraction between dissolved methane solutes increases with the increasing TMAO concentration. This observation correlates with a reduction in the methane solubility below 320 K but with an increase in methane solubility at higher temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelina Folberth
- Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Nico F. A. van der Vegt
- Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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10
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Molecular dynamics simulations of the evaporation of hydrated ions from aqueous solution. Commun Chem 2022; 5:55. [PMID: 36698011 PMCID: PMC9814746 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-022-00669-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Although important for atmospheric processes and gas-phase catalysis, very little is known about the hydration state of ions in the vapor phase. Here we study the evaporation energetics and kinetics of a chloride ion from liquid water by molecular dynamics simulations. As chloride permeates the interface, a water finger forms and breaks at a chloride separation of ≈ 2.8 nm from the Gibbs dividing surface. For larger separations from the interface, about 7 water molecules are estimated to stay bound to chloride in saturated water vapor, as corroborated by continuum dielectrics and statistical mechanics models. This ion hydration significantly reduces the free-energy barrier for evaporation. The effective chloride diffusivity in the transition state is found to be about 6 times higher than in bulk, which reflects the highly mobile hydration dynamics as the water finger breaks. Both effects significantly increase the chloride evaporation flux from the quiescent interface of an electrolyte solution, which is predicted from reaction kinetic theory.
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11
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Bharadwaj S, Niebuur BJ, Nothdurft K, Richtering W, van der Vegt NFA, Papadakis CM. Cononsolvency of thermoresponsive polymers: where we are now and where we are going. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:2884-2909. [PMID: 35311857 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00146b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cononsolvency is an intriguing phenomenon where a polymer collapses in a mixture of good solvents. This cosolvent-induced modulation of the polymer solubility has been observed in solutions of several polymers and biomacromolecules, and finds application in areas such as hydrogel actuators, drug delivery, compound detection and catalysis. In the past decade, there has been a renewed interest in understanding the molecular mechanisms which drive cononsolvency with a predominant emphasis on its connection to the preferential adsorption of the cosolvent. Significant efforts have also been made to understand cononsolvency in complex systems such as micelles, block copolymers and thin films. In this review, we will discuss some of the recent developments from the experimental, simulation and theoretical fronts, and provide an outlook on the problems and challenges which are yet to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swaminath Bharadwaj
- Technical University of Darmstadt, Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Computational Physical Chemistry Group, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Bart-Jan Niebuur
- Technical University of Munich, Physics Department, Soft Matter Physics Group, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Katja Nothdurft
- RWTH Aachen University, Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Landoltweg 2, 52056 Aachen, Germany, European Union
| | - Walter Richtering
- RWTH Aachen University, Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Landoltweg 2, 52056 Aachen, Germany, European Union
| | - Nico F A van der Vegt
- Technical University of Darmstadt, Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Computational Physical Chemistry Group, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Christine M Papadakis
- Technical University of Munich, Physics Department, Soft Matter Physics Group, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
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Nazari S, Abdelrasoul A. Surface Zwitterionization of HemodialysisMembranesfor Hemocompatibility Enhancement and Protein-mediated anti-adhesion: A Critical Review. BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING ADVANCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bea.2022.100026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
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13
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Huang H, Zhang C, Crisci R, Lu T, Hung HC, Sajib MSJ, Sarker P, Ma J, Wei T, Jiang S, Chen Z. Strong Surface Hydration and Salt Resistant Mechanism of a New Nonfouling Zwitterionic Polymer Based on Protein Stabilizer TMAO. J Am Chem Soc 2021; 143:16786-16795. [PMID: 34582683 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c08280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Zwitterionic polymers exhibit excellent nonfouling performance due to their strong surface hydrations. However, salt molecules may severely reduce the surface hydrations of typical zwitterionic polymers, making the application of these polymers in real biological and marine environments challenging. Recently, a new zwitterionic polymer brush based on the protein stabilizer trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) was developed as an outstanding nonfouling material. Using surface-sensitive sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy, we investigated the surface hydration of TMAO polymer brushes (pTMAO) and the effects of salts and proteins on such surface hydration. It was discovered that exposure to highly concentrated salt solutions such as seawater only moderately reduced surface hydration. This superior resistance to salt effects compared to other zwitterionic polymers is due to the shorter distance between the positively and negatively charged groups, thus a smaller dipole in pTMAO and strong hydration around TMAO zwitterion. This results in strong bonding interactions between the O- in pTMAO and water, and weaker interaction between O- and metal cations due to the strong repulsion from the N+ and hydration water. Computer simulations at quantum and atomistic scales were performed to support SFG analyses. In addition to the salt effect, it was discovered that exposure to proteins in seawater exerted minimal influence on the pTMAO surface hydration, indicating complete exclusion of protein attachment. The excellent nonfouling performance of pTMAO originates from its extremely strong surface hydration that exhibits effective resistance to disruptions induced by salts and proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Hsiang-Chieh Hung
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Md Symon Jahan Sajib
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Howard University, Washington D.C. 20059, United States
| | - Pranab Sarker
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Howard University, Washington D.C. 20059, United States
| | - Jinrong Ma
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Tao Wei
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Howard University, Washington D.C. 20059, United States
| | - Shaoyi Jiang
- Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853, United States
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14
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van der Vegt NFA. Length-Scale Effects in Hydrophobic Polymer Collapse Transitions. J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:5191-5199. [PMID: 33906353 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c01070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The study of molecular mechanisms for cosolvent-driven hydrophobic polymer collapse transitions in water is of pivotal importance in the field of smart responsive materials. Computational studies together with complementary experimental data have led to the discovery and understanding of new phenomena in recent years. However, elementary mechanisms, generally contributing to polymer coil-globule transitions in different classes of cosolvent-water systems, remain elusive due to compensating energy-entropy effects. Herein, I discuss the role of length scales in polymer solubility problems. New ideas on surfactant mechanisms are discussed based on examples in which these mechanisms drive polymer swelling or collapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nico F A van der Vegt
- Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Alarich-Weiss-Straße 10, 64287, Darmstadt, Germany
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15
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Bharadwaj S, Nayar D, Dalgicdir C, van der Vegt NFA. An interplay of excluded-volume and polymer-(co)solvent attractive interactions regulates polymer collapse in mixed solvents. J Chem Phys 2021; 154:134903. [PMID: 33832270 DOI: 10.1063/5.0046746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cosolvent effects on the coil-globule transitions in aqueous polymer solutions are not well understood, especially in the case of amphiphilic cosolvents that preferentially adsorb on the polymer and lead to both polymer swelling and collapse. Although a predominant focus in the literature has been placed on the role of polymer-cosolvent attractive interactions, our recent work has shown that excluded-volume interactions (repulsive interactions) can drive both preferential adsorption of the cosolvent and polymer collapse via a surfactant-like mechanism. Here, we further study the role of polymer-(co)solvent attractive interactions in two kinds of polymer solutions, namely, good solvent (water)-good cosolvent (alcohol) (GSGC) and poor solvent-good cosolvent (PSGC) solutions, both of which exhibit preferential adsorption of the cosolvent and a non-monotonic change in the polymer radius of gyration with the addition of the cosolvent. Interestingly, at low concentrations, the polymer-(co)solvent energetic interactions oppose polymer collapse in the GSGC solutions and contrarily support polymer collapse in the PSGC solutions, indicating the importance of the underlying polymer chemistry. Even though the alcohol molecules are preferentially adsorbed on the polymer, the trends of the energetic interactions at low cosolvent concentrations are dominated by the polymer-water energetic interactions in both the cases. Therefore, polymer-(co)solvent energetic interactions can either reinforce or compensate the surfactant-like mechanism, and it is this interplay that drives coil-to-globule transitions in polymer solutions. These results have implications for rationalizing the cononsolvency transitions in real systems such as polyacrylamides in aqueous alcohol solutions where the understanding of microscopic driving forces is still debatable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swaminath Bharadwaj
- Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Divya Nayar
- Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Cahit Dalgicdir
- Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Nico F A van der Vegt
- Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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16
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Bruce EE, Bui PT, Cao M, Cremer PS, van der Vegt NFA. Contact Ion Pairs in the Bulk Affect Anion Interactions with Poly( N-isopropylacrylamide). J Phys Chem B 2021; 125:680-688. [PMID: 33406822 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c11076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Salt effects on the solubility of uncharged polymers in aqueous solutions are usually dominated by anions, while the role of the cation with which they are paired is often ignored. In this study, we examine the influence of three aqueous metal iodide salt solutions (LiI, NaI, and CsI) on the phase transition temperature of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) by measuring the turbidity change of the solutions. Weakly hydrated anions, such as iodide, are known to interact with the polymer and thereby lead to salting-in behavior at low salt concentration followed by salting-out behavior at higher salt concentration. When varying the cation type, an unexpected salting-out trend is observed at higher salt concentrations, Cs+ > Na+ > Li+. Using molecular dynamics simulations, it is demonstrated that this originates from contact ion pair formation in the bulk solution, which introduces a competition for iodide ions between the polymer and cations. The weakly hydrated cation, Cs+, forms contact ion pairs with I- in the bulk solution, leading to depletion of CsI from the polymer-water interface. Microscopically, this is correlated with the repulsion of iodide ions from the amide moiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen E Bruce
- Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Pho T Bui
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Mengrui Cao
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Paul S Cremer
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, United States
| | - Nico F A van der Vegt
- Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Technische Universität Darmstadt, D-64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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Mukherjee M, Mondal J. Bottom-Up View of the Mechanism of Action of Protein-Stabilizing Osmolytes. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:11316-11323. [PMID: 33198465 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c06658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The molecular mechanism of osmolytes on the stabilization of native states of protein is still controversial irrespective of extensive studies over several decades. Recent investigations in terms of experiments and molecular dynamics simulations challenge the popular osmophobic model explaining the mechanistic action of protein-stabilizing osmolytes. The current Perspective presents an updated view on the mechanistic action of osmolytes in light of resurgence of interesting experiments and computer simulations over the past few years in this direction. In this regard, the Perspective adopts a bottom-up approach starting from hydrophobic interactions and eventually adds complexity in the system, going toward the protein, in a complex topology of hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. Finally, the Perspective unifies osmolyte-induced protein conformational equilibria in terms of preferential interaction theory, irrespective of individual preferential binding or exclusion of osmolytes depending on different osmolytes and protein surfaces. The Perspective also identifies future research directions that can potentially shape this interesting area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mrinmoy Mukherjee
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Center For Interdisciplinary Sciences, Hyderabad 500107, India
| | - Jagannath Mondal
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Center For Interdisciplinary Sciences, Hyderabad 500107, India
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19
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A cosolvent surfactant mechanism affects polymer collapse in miscible good solvents. Commun Chem 2020; 3:165. [PMID: 36703319 PMCID: PMC9814688 DOI: 10.1038/s42004-020-00405-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The coil-globule transition of aqueous polymers is of profound significance in understanding the structure and function of responsive soft matter. In particular, the remarkable effect of amphiphilic cosolvents (e.g., alcohols) that leads to both swelling and collapse of stimuli-responsive polymers has been hotly debated in the literature, often with contradictory mechanisms proposed. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we herein demonstrate that alcohols reduce the free energy cost of creating a repulsive polymer-solvent interface via a surfactant-like mechanism which surprisingly drives polymer collapse at low alcohol concentrations. This hitherto neglected role of interfacial solvation thermodynamics is common to all coil-globule transitions, and rationalizes the experimentally observed effects of higher alcohols and polymer molecular weight on the coil-to-globule transition of thermoresponsive polymers. Polymer-(co)solvent attractive interactions reinforce or compensate this mechanism and it is this interplay which drives polymer swelling or collapse.
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Mukherjee M, Mondal J. Unifying the Contrasting Mechanisms of Protein-Stabilizing Osmolytes. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:6565-6574. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c04757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mrinmoy Mukherjee
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Hyderabad 500046, India
| | - Jagannath Mondal
- Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Center for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Hyderabad 500046, India
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21
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Yuan H, Liu G. Ionic effects on synthetic polymers: from solutions to brushes and gels. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:4087-4104. [PMID: 32292998 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm00199f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The ionic effects on synthetic polymers have attracted extensive attention due to the crucial role of ions in the determination of the properties of synthetic polymers. This review places the focus on specific ion effects, multivalent ion effects, and ionic hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity effects in synthetic polymer systems from solutions to brushes and gels. The specific ion effects on neutral polymers are determined by both the direct and indirect specific ion-polymer interactions, whereas the ion specificities of charged polymers are mainly dominated by the specific ion-pairing interactions. The ionic cross-linking effect exerted by the multivalent ions is widely used to tune the properties of polyelectrolytes, while the reentrant behavior of polyelectrolytes in the presence of multivalent ions still remains poorly understood. The ionic hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity effects not only can be applied to make strong polyelectrolytes thermosensitive, but also can be used to prepare polymeric nano-objects and to control the wettability of polyelectrolyte brush-modified surfaces. The not well-studied ionic hydrogen bond effects are also discussed in the last section of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyang Yuan
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Chemistry and Energy Catalysis of Anhui Higher Education Institutes, Department of Chemical Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, No. 96, Jinzhai Road, Hefei 230026, P. R. China.
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22
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Matějíček P. Erratic ions: self-assembly and coassembly of ions of nanometer size and of irregular structure. Curr Opin Colloid Interface Sci 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cocis.2019.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Cosolvent effects on the growth of amyloid fibrils. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2020; 60:101-109. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2019] [Revised: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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