Gold nanoparticles grown on star-shaped block copolymer monolayers

On the Interfacial Behavior of Catenated Poly(l-lactide) at the Air-Water Interface

Interfacial properties of polymeric materials are significantly influenced by their architectural structures and spatial features, while such a study of topologically interesting macromolecules is rarely reported. In this work, we reported, for the first time, the interfacial behavior of catenated poly(l-lactide) (C-PLA) at the air-water interface and compared it with its linear analogue (L-PLA). The isotherms of surface pressure-area per repeating unit showed significant interfacial behavioral differences between the two polymers with different topologies. Isobaric creep experiments and compression-expansion cycles also showed that C-PLA demonstrated higher stability at the air-water interface. Interestingly, when the films at different surface pressures were transferred via the Langmuir-Blodgett method, successive atomic force microscopy imaging displayed distinct nanomorphologies, in which the surface of C-PLA exhibited nanofibrous structures, while that of the L-PLA revealed a smoother topology with less fiber-like structures.

Gold/Pentablock Terpolymer Hybrid Multifunctional Nanocarriers for Controlled Delivery of Tamoxifen: Effect of Nanostructure on Release Kinetics

Here, we describe the preparation and characterization of organic/inorganic hybrid polymer multifunctional nanocarriers. Novel nanocomposites of gold nanoparticles using pH-responsive coordination pentablock terpolymers of poly(ε-caprolactone)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(ε-caprolactone), bearing or not bearing partially quaternized vinylpyridine moieties, were studied. The template morphology of the coordination pentablock terpolymer at physiological pH ranges from crew-cut to multicompartmentalized micelles which can be tuned by chemical modification of the central block. Additionally, the presence of 2VP groups allows the coordination of gold ions, which can be reduced in situ to construct gold@polymer nanohybrids. Furthermore, the possibility of tuning the gold distribution in the micelles, through partial quaternization of the central P2VP block, was also investigated. Various morphological gold colloidal nanoparticles such as gold@core-corona nanoparticles and gold@core-gold@corona nanoparticles were synthesized on the corresponding template of the pentablock terpolymer, first by coordination with gold ions, followed by reduction with NaBH₄. The pentablock and gold@pentablock nanoparticles could sparingly accommodate a water-soluble drug, Tamoxifen (TAX), in their hydrophobic micellar cores. The nanostructure of the nanocarrier remarkably affects the TAX delivery kinetics. Importantly, the hybrid gold@polymer nanoparticles showed prolonged release profiles for the guest molecule, relative to the corresponding bare amphiphilic pentablock polymeric micelles. These Gold@pentablock terpolymer hybrid nanoparticles could act as a multifunctional theranostic nanoplatform, integrating sustainable pH-controlled drug delivery, diagnostic function and photothermal therapy.

Ionizable Star Copolymer-Assisted Graphene Phase Transfer between Immiscible Liquids: Organic Solvent/Water/Ionic Liquid

The present study reports on the development of a simple two-step process toward the isolation of nearly defect-free mono- and few-layer graphenes in various media. This was achieved by liquid phase pre-exfoliation of pristine graphite in the presence of an ionizable PS_nP2VP_n heteroarm star copolymer in an organic solvent and subsequent graphene shuttle between immiscible media, that is, organic solvent/water and water/ionic liquid. This polymer-assisted phase transfer of graphene sheets gave rise to enrichment of suspended nanostructures in monolayers, especially in an aqueous environment. The exfoliation efficiency was assessed through Raman and electron microscopy. Relatively high concentration suspensions of efficiently exfoliated graphene sheets of large size and in high solubilization yield, could be prepared in any kind of solvent, that is, organic low boiling point medium, aqueous environment, or ionic liquid, whereas the shuttle transfer was found to be a reversible process between organic and aqueous phases.

Rapid hybridization of chitosan-gold-antibodies via metal-free click in water-based systems: a model approach for naked-eye detectable antigen sensors

A surface plasmon resonance (SPR) expression after hybridization of chitosan-gold nanoparticle-antibody (CS-AuNPs-Ab) based on: i) metal-free click chemistry, and, ii) in water system as an approach for a rapid antigen sensing, is proposed. The chitosan-hydroxybenzyl triazole complex enables us to carry out the conjugation of mPEG and trifluoromethylated oxanorbornadiene (OND) in water. CS-mPEG-OND further allows metal-free click to hybridize chitosan (CS) with azido-modified gold nanoparticles (azido-AuNPs) in aqueous solution at room temperature. The CS-mPEG-OND conjugated with LipL32 antibody (Ab) not only effectively binds with LipL32 antigen (Ag) but also performs the cycloaddition with azido-AuNPs to display a change in color within 2 min. The phenomenon leads to a simple and efficient naked-eye antigen detection technique.

Hybridization of inorganic nanoparticles and polymers to create regular and reversible self-assembly architectures

Inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) with diversified functionalities are promising candidates in future optoelectronic and biomedical applications, which greatly depend on the capability to arrange NPs into higher-order architectures in a controllable way. This issue is considered to be solved by means of self-assembly. NPs can participate in self-assembly in different manners, such as smart self-organization with blended molecules, as the carriers of host molecules for assembly and disassembly with guest molecules, as netpoints to endow the architectures specific functionalities, and so forth. To enhance the structural stability of the as-prepared assembly architectures, polymers have been utilized to create NP-polymer composites. Meanwhile, such a strategy also demonstrates the possibility of integrating the functionalities of NPs and/or polymers by forming regular architectures. The emerging interest in the current optoelectronic and biological areas strongly demands intelligent nanocomposites, which are produced by combination of the excellent functionalities of NPs and the responsiveness of polymers. On the basis of the recent progress in fabricating NP-polymer composites, this critical review summarizes the development of new methods for fabricating regular self-assembly architectures, highlights the reversible assembly and disassembly behavior, and indicates the potential applications.