Temperature-induced intermicellization of "hairy" and "crew-cut" micelles in an aqueous solution of a thermoresponsive copolymer

Synthesis and Characterization of a Thermoresponsive Copolymer with an LCST-UCST-like Behavior and Exhibiting Crystallization

In this work, the diblock copolymer methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) (MPEG-b-PCL) was synthesized with a block composition that allows this polymer in aqueous media to possess both an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) and a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) over a limited temperature interval. The value of the UCST, associated with crystallization of the PCL-block, depended on heating (H) or cooling (C) of the sample and was found to be CPUCSTH = 32 °C and CPUCSTC = 23 °C, respectively. The LCST was not affected by the heating or cooling scans; assumed a value of 52 °C (CPLCSTH = CPLCSTC). At intermediate temperatures (e.g., 45 °C), dynamic light scattering (DLS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) showed that the solution consisted of a large population of spherical core-shell particles and some self-assembled rodlike objects. At low temperatures (below 32 °C), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) in combination with SAXS disclosed the formation of crystals with a cylindrical core-shell structure. Cryo-TEM supported a thread-like appearance of the self-assembled polymer chains. At temperatures above 52 °C, incipient phase separation took place and large aggregation complexes of amorphous morphology were formed. This work provides insight into the intricate interplay between UCST and LCST and the type of structures formed at these conditions in aqueous solutions of MPEG-b-PCL diblock copolymers.

Structural Behavior of Amphiphilic Triblock Copolymer P104/Water System

A detailed study of the different structural transitions of the triblock copolymer PEO₂₇-PPO₆₁-PEO₂₇ (P104) in water, in the dilute and semi-dilute regions, is addressed here as a function of temperature and P104 concentration (C_P104) by mean of complimentary methods: viscosimetry, densimetry, dynamic light scattering, turbidimetry, polarized microscopy, and rheometry. The hydration profile was calculated through density and sound velocity measurements. It was possible to identify the regions where monomers exist, spherical micelle formation, elongated cylindrical micelles formation, clouding points, and liquid crystalline behavior. We report a partial phase diagram including information for P104 concentrations from 1 × 10^-4 to 90 wt.% and temperatures from 20 to 75 °C that will be helpful for further interaction studies with hydrophobic molecules or active principles for drug delivery.

Complex Temperature and Concentration Dependent Self-Assembly of Poly(2-oxazoline) Block Copolymers

The effect of polymer concentration on the temperature-induced self-association of a block copolymer comprising a poly(2-ethyl-2-oxazoline) block and a random copolymer block consisting of 2-ethyl-2-oxazoline and 2-n-propyl-2-oxazoline (PEtO₈₀-block-P(EtOx_x-stat-PropO_40-x) with x = 0, 4, or 8 were investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmittance measurements (turbidimetry). The polymers reveal a complex aggregation behavior with up to three relaxation modes in the DLS data and with a transmittance that first goes through a minimum before it declines at high temperatures. At low temperatures, unassociated polymer chains were found to co-exist with larger aggregates. As the temperature is increased, enhanced association and contraction of the aggregates results in a drop of the transmittance values. The aggregates fragment into smaller micellar-like clusters when the temperature is raised further, causing the samples to become optically clear again. At high temperatures, the polymers aggregate into large compact clusters, and the samples become turbid. Interestingly, very large aggregates were observed at low temperatures when the polymer concentrations were low. The formation of these aggregates was also promoted by a more hydrophilic copolymer structure. The formation of large aggregates with an open structure at conditions where the solvent conditions are improved is probably caused by depletion flocculation of the smaller aggregates.

Aqueous Solutions of Poly(ethylene oxide)-Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide): Thermosensitive Behavior and Distinct Multiple Assembly Processes

Detailed phase transition and conformational changes taking place as a function of temperature in poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PEO-b-PNIPAM) semidiluted aqueous solutions are elucidated in the present study. By the use of elaborate vibrational spectroscopy techniques in combination with two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2Dcos), three transition regions including respective rich domains (<29 °C), loose aggregations (30-36 °C), and dense sphere micelles (>37 °C) are depicted. In particular, subtle variations of hydrogen bonds are detected even under the lower critical solution temperature (LCST), and the respective rich domain regime is marked with strong participation from hydrogen bonding at different concentrations and compositions. Both the formation of intermolecular hydrogen bonds and the less hydration degrees of PNIPAM segments compared with PNIPAM homopolymer at elevated temperatures verify the evolution of PNIPAM from their own domains to loose aggregations with PEO shells. Dense micelles are formed beyond the LCST of PNIPAM, while the outmost PEOs act as buffer layers and postpone the shrinkage of PNIPAM chains. Due to the existence of a buffer layer, higher phase transition temperatures compared with PNIPAM homopolymer are observed.

Tailoring the amphiphilicity and self-assembly of thermosensitive polymers: end-capped PEG-PNIPAAM block copolymers

In this work we report on the synthesis and self-assembly of a thermo-sensitive block copolymer system of n-octadecyl-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), abbreviated as C18-PEGn-b-PNIPAAMm. We present a facile synthetic strategy for obtaining highly tunable thermo-responsive block copolymers starting from commercial PEG-based surfactants (Brij®) or a C18 precursor and conjugating with PNIPAAM via an Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) protocol. The self-assembly and detailed nanostructure were thoroughly investigated in aqueous solutions using both small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS/SANS) combined with turbidity measurements. The results show that the system forms rather well defined classical micellar structures at room temperature that first undergo a collapse, followed by inter-micellar aggregation upon increasing the temperature. For the pure C18-PNIPAAM system, however, rather ill-defined micelles were formed, demonstrating the important role of PEG in regulating the nanostructure and the stability. It is found that the PEG content can be used as a convenient parameter to regulate the thermoresponse, i.e., the onset of collapse and aggregation. A detailed theoretical modeling analysis of the SAXS/SANS data shows that the system forms typical core-shell micellar structures. Interestingly, no evidence of back folding, where PEG allows PNIPAAM to form part of the C18 core, can be found upon crossing the lower critical solution temperature (LCST). This might be attributed to the entropic penalty of folding a polymer chain and/or enthalpic incompatibility between the blocks. The results show that by appropriately varying the balance between the hydrophobic and hydrophilic content, i.e. the amphiphilicity, tunable thermoresponsive micellar structures can be effectively designed. By means of SAXS/SANS we are able to follow the response on the nanoscale. These results thus give considerable insight into thermo-responsive micellar systems and provide guidelines as to how these systems can be tailor-made and designed. This is expected to be of considerable interest for potential applications such as in nanomedicine where an accurate and tunable thermoresponse is required.

Studies on pectin coating of liposomes for drug delivery

The present study investigated the surface coating of charged liposomes by three different types of pectin (LM, HM and amidated pectin) by particle size determinations and zeta potential measurements. The pectins and the pectin coated liposomes were visualized by atomic force microscopy. The adsorption of pectin onto positive liposomes yielded a reproducible increase in particle size and a shift of the zeta potential from positive to negative side for all three pectin types, whereas the adsorption of pectin onto negative liposomes did not render any significant changes probably due to electrostatic repulsion. The positive liposomes coated with HM-pectin gave the largest pectin coated particles with the least negative zeta potential, while the opposite was observed for the LM-pectin coated positive liposomes. Furthermore, results from dynamic light scattering revealed narrow size distributions, indicating that the degree of aggregation was low for the pectin coated liposomes. As liposomes are able to encapsulate drugs and pectin has been found to be mucoadhesive, these pectin coated liposomes may be potential drug delivery systems.

Effects of temperature and salt concentration on the structural and dynamical features in aqueous solutions of charged triblock copolymers

Effects of temperature and salt addition on the association behavior in aqueous solutions of a series of charged thermosensitive methoxypoly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-block-poly(4-styrenesulfonic acid sodium) triblock copolymers (MPEG(45)-b-P(NIPAAM)(n)-b-P(SSS)(22)) with different lengths of the PNIPAAM block (n=17, 48, and 66) have been studied with the aid of turbidity, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Increasing temperature and salinity as well as longer PNIPAAM blocks are all factors that promote the formation of association structures. The SAXS data show that, for the copolymers with n=48 and n=66, increasing temperature and salt concentration induce interchain associations and higher values of the aggregation number, whereas no aggregation was observed for the copolymer with the shortest PNIPAAM chain. However, DLS measurements reveal the presence of larger association clusters. The cloud point is found to decrease with raising salinity and longer PNIPAAM block. The general picture that emerges is the delicate interplay between repulsive electrostatic forces and hydrophobic interactions and that this balance can be tuned by changing the temperature, salinity, and the length of the PNIPAAM block.