1
|
Senebandith H, Li D, Srivastava S. Advances, Applications, and Emerging Opportunities in Electrostatic Hydrogels. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:16965-16974. [PMID: 37976453 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c02255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) hydrogels, which self-assemble via complexation of oppositely charged block polymers, have recently risen to prominence owing to their unique characteristics such as hierarchical microstructure, tunable bulk properties, and the ability to precisely assimilate charged cargos (i.e., proteins and nucleic acids). Significant foundational research has delineated the structure-property relationship of PEC hydrogels for use in a wide range of applications. In this Perspective, we summarize key findings on the microstructure and bulk properties of PEC hydrogels and discuss how intrinsic and extrinsic factors can be tuned to create specifically tailored PEC hydrogels with desired properties. We highlight successful applications of PEC hydrogels while offering insight into strategies to overcome their shortcomings and elaborate on emerging opportunities in the field of electrostatic self-assemblies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Holly Senebandith
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Defu Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Samanvaya Srivastava
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Institute for Carbon Management, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Stevens K, Marras AE, Campagna TR, Ting JM, Tirrell MV. Effect of Charged Block Length Mismatch on Double Diblock Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelle Cores. Macromolecules 2023; 56:5557-5566. [PMID: 37521249 PMCID: PMC10373519 DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.3c00555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Polyelectrolyte complex micelles are hydrophilic nanoparticles that self-assemble in aqueous environments due to associative microphase separation between oppositely charged blocky polyelectrolytes. In this work, we employ a suite of physical characterization tools to examine the effect of charged block length mismatch on the equilibrium structure of double diblock polyelectrolyte complex micelles (D-PCMs) by mixing a diverse library of peptide and synthetic charged-neutral block polyelectrolytes with a wide range of charged block lengths (25-200 units) and chemistries. Early work on D-PCMs suggested that this class of micelles can only be formed from blocky polyelectrolytes with identical charged block lengths, a phenomenon referred to as chain length recognition. Here, we use salt annealing to create PCMs at equilibrium, which shows that chain length recognition, a longstanding hurdle to repeatable self-assembly from mismatched polyelectrolytes, can be overcome. Interestingly, D-PCM structure-property relationships display a range of values that vary systematically with the charged block lengths and chemical identity of constituent polyelectrolyte pairings and cannot be described by generalizable scaling laws. We discuss the interdependent growth behavior of the radius, ionic pair aggregation number, and density in the micelle core for three chemically distinct diblock pairings and suggest a potential physical mechanism that leads to this unique behavior. By comparing the results of these D-PCMs to the scaling laws recently developed for single diblock polyelectrolyte complex micelles (S-PCMs: diblock + homopolymer), we observe that D-PCM design schemes reduce the size and aggregation number and restrict their growth to a function of charged block length relative to S-PCMs. Understanding these favorable attributes enables more predictive use of a wider array of charged molecular building blocks to anticipate and control macroscopic properties of micelles spanning countless storage and delivery applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaden
C. Stevens
- Pritzker
School of Molecular Engineering, The University
of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Alexander E. Marras
- Walker
Department of Mechanical Engineering, The
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
- Texas
Materials Institute, The University of Texas
at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Trinity R. Campagna
- 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
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wu B, Lewis RW, Li G, Gao Y, Fan B, Klemm B, Huang J, Wang J, Cohen Stuart MA, Eelkema R. Chemical signal regulated injectable coacervate hydrogels. Chem Sci 2023; 14:1512-1523. [PMID: 36794201 PMCID: PMC9906648 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc06935k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
In the quest for stimuli-responsive materials with specific, controllable functions, coacervate hydrogels have become a promising candidate, featuring sensitive responsiveness to environmental signals enabling control over sol-gel transitions. However, conventional coacervation-based materials are regulated by relatively non-specific signals, such as temperature, pH or salt concentration, which limits their possible applications. In this work, we constructed a coacervate hydrogel with a Michael addition-based chemical reaction network (CRN) as a platform, where the state of coacervate materials can be easily tuned by specific chemical signals. We designed a pyridine-based ABA triblock copolymer, whose quaternization can be regulated by an allyl acetate electrophile and an amine nucleophile, leading to gel construction and collapse in the presence of polyanions. Our coacervate gels showed not only highly tunable stiffness and gelation times, but excellent self-healing ability and injectability with different sized needles, and accelerated degradation resulting from chemical signal-induced coacervation disruption. This work is expected to be a first step in the realization of a new class of signal-responsive injectable materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bohang Wu
- East China University of Science and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering Meilong Road 130 200237 Shanghai China.,Delft University of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering Van der Maasweg 9 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands
| | - Reece W. Lewis
- Delft University of Technology, Department of Chemical EngineeringVan der Maasweg 92629 HZ DelftThe Netherlands
| | - Guotai Li
- Delft University of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering Van der Maasweg 9 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands
| | - Yifan Gao
- East China University of Science and Technology, Department of Chemical EngineeringMeilong Road 130200237 ShanghaiChina
| | - Bowen Fan
- Delft University of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering Van der Maasweg 9 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands
| | - Benjamin Klemm
- Delft University of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering Van der Maasweg 9 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands
| | - Jianan Huang
- East China University of Science and Technology, Department of Chemical EngineeringMeilong Road 130200237 ShanghaiChina
| | - Junyou Wang
- East China University of Science and Technology, Department of Chemical EngineeringMeilong Road 130200237 ShanghaiChina
| | - Martien A. Cohen Stuart
- East China University of Science and Technology, Department of Chemical EngineeringMeilong Road 130200237 ShanghaiChina
| | - Rienk Eelkema
- Delft University of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering Van der Maasweg 9 2629 HZ Delft The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Rheology and Gelation of Hyaluronic Acid/Chitosan Coacervates. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12121817. [PMID: 36551245 PMCID: PMC9775361 DOI: 10.3390/biom12121817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hyaluronic acid (HA) and chitosan (CHI) are biopolyelectrolytes which are interesting for both the medical and polymer physics communities due to their biocompatibility and semi-flexibility, respectively. In this work, we demonstrate by rheology experiments that the linear viscoelasticity of HA/CHI coacervates depends strongly on the molecular weight of the polymers. Moduli for coacervates were found significantly higher than those of individual HA and CHI physical gels. A remarkable 1.5-fold increase in moduli was noted when catechol-conjugated HA and CHI were used instead. This was attributed to the conversion of coacervates to chemical gels by oxidation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) groups in HA and CHI to di-DOPA crosslinks. These rheological results put HA/CHI coacervates in the category of strong candidates as injectable tissue scaffolds or medical adhesives.
Collapse
|
5
|
Li D, Göckler T, Schepers U, Srivastava S. Polyelectrolyte Complex-Covalent Interpenetrating Polymer Network Hydrogels. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c00590] [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)
- Defu Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Tobias Göckler
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Institute of Functional Interfaces, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany
| | - Ute Schepers
- Institute of Functional Interfaces, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen 76344, Germany
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Fritz-Haber-Weg 6, Karlsruhe 76131, Germany
| | - Samanvaya Srivastava
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Center for Biological Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
- Institute for Carbon Management, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Kim S, Kim JM, Wood K, Choi SH. Ionic group-dependent structure of complex coacervate hydrogels formed by ABA triblock copolymers. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:4146-4155. [PMID: 35583260 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00255h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates the nanostructure of complex coacervate core hydrogels (C3Gs) with varying compositions of cationic charged groups (i.e., ammonium and guanidinium) using small-angle X-ray/neutron scattering (SAX/NS). C3Gs were prepared by stoichiometric mixing of two oppositely charged ABA triblock copolymers in aqueous solvents, in which A end-blocks were functionalized with either sulfonate groups or a mixture of ammonium and guanidinium groups. Comprehensive small-angle X-ray/neutron scattering (SAX/NS) analysis elucidated the dependence of C3Gs structures on the fraction of guanidinium groups in the cationic end-block (x) and salt concentration (cs). As x increases, the polymer volume fraction in the cores, and interfacial tension (γcore) and salt resistance (c*) of the coacervate cores increase, which is attributed to the greater hydrophobicity and non-electrostatic association. Furthermore, we observed that the salt dependence of the interfacial tension follows γcore ∼ (1 - cs/c*)3/2 in all series of x. The results show that the variation of the ionic group provides a powerful method to control the salt-responsiveness of C3Gs as stimuli-responsive materials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Seyoung Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jung-Min Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, Republic of Korea.
| | - Kathleen Wood
- Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Lucas Heights, NSW 2234, Australia
| | - Soo-Hyung Choi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Jiang J, Chen EQ, Yang S. The effect of ion pairs on coacervate-driven self-assembly of block polyelectrolytes. J Chem Phys 2021; 154:144903. [PMID: 33858167 DOI: 10.1063/5.0044845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The incorporation of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes into a block copolymer system can lead to formation of microphase separated nanostructures driven by the electrostatic complex between two oppositely charged blocks. It is a theoretical challenge to build an appropriate model to handle such coacervate-driven self-assembly, which should capture the strong electrostatic correlations for highly charged polymers. In this paper, we develop the self-consistent field theory considering the ion paring effect to predict the phase behavior of block polyelectrolytes. In our model, two types of ion pairs, the binding between two oppositely charged monomers and the binding between charged monomers and counterions, are included. Their strength of formation is controlled by two parameters Kaa and Kac, respectively. We give a detailed analysis about how the binding strength Kac and Kaa and salt concentration affect the self-assembled nanostructure of diblock polyelectrolyte systems. The results show that the binding between two oppositely charged blocks provides driven force for microphase separation, while the binding between charged monomers and counterions competes with the polyion pairing and thus suppresses the microphase separation. The addition of salt has a shielding effect on the charges of polymers, which is a disadvantage to microphase separation. The phase diagrams as a function of polymer concentration and salt concentration at different situations are constructed, and the influence of Kaa, Kac, and charged block composition fa is analyzed in depth. The obtained phase diagrams are in good agreement with currently existing experimental and theoretical results.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiadi Jiang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering and Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - Er-Qiang Chen
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering and Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuang Yang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering and Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry and Physics of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Li L, Rumyantsev AM, Srivastava S, Meng S, de Pablo JJ, Tirrell MV. Effect of Solvent Quality on the Phase Behavior of Polyelectrolyte Complexes. Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c01000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Lu Li
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Artem M. Rumyantsev
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Samanvaya Srivastava
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Siqi Meng
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Juan J. de Pablo
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Center for Molecular Engineering and Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Matthew V. Tirrell
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Center for Molecular Engineering and Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Wu H, Ting JM, Yu B, Jackson NE, Meng S, de Pablo JJ, Tirrell MV. Spatiotemporal Formation and Growth Kinetics of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles with Millisecond Resolution. ACS Macro Lett 2020; 9:1674-1680. [PMID: 35617069 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.0c00543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
We have directly observed the in situ self-assembly kinetics of polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) micelles by synchrotron time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering, equipped with a stopped-flow device that provides millisecond temporal resolution. A synthesized neutral-charged diblock polycation and homopolyanion that we have previously investigated as a model charge-matched, core-shell micelle system were selected for this work. The initial micellization of the oppositely charged polyelectrolytes was completed within the dead time of mixing of 100 ms, followed by micelle growth and equilibration up to several seconds. By combining the structural evolution of the radius of gyration (Rg) with complementary molecular dynamics simulations, we show how the self-assemblies evolve incrementally in size over time through a two-step kinetic process: first, oppositely charged polyelectrolyte chains pair to form nascent aggregates that immediately assemble into spherical micelles, and second, these PEC micelles grow into larger micellar entities. This work has determined one possible kinetic pathway for the initial formation of PEC micelles, which provides useful physical insights for increasing fundamental understanding self-assembly dynamics, driven by polyelectrolyte complexation that occurs on ultrafast time scales.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wu
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Jeffrey M. Ting
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Center for Molecular Engineering and Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Boyuan Yu
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Nicholas E. Jackson
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Center for Molecular Engineering and Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Siqi Meng
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Juan J. de Pablo
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Center for Molecular Engineering and Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Matthew V. Tirrell
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Center for Molecular Engineering and Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Abstract
A scaling model for the structure of coacervates is presented for mixtures of oppositely-charged polyelectrolytes of both symmetric and asymmetric charge-densities for different degrees of electrostatic strength and levels of added salt. At low electrostatic strengths, weak coacervates, with the energy of electrostatic interactions between charges less than the thermal energy, k B T, are liquid. At higher electrostatic strengths, strong coacervates are gels with crosslinks formed by ion pairs of opposite charges bound to each other with energy higher than k B T. Charge-symmetric coacervates are formed for mixtures of oppositely-charged polyelectrolytes with equal and opposite charge-densities. While charge-symmetric weak coacervates form a semidilute polymer solution with a correlation length equal to the electrostatic blob size, charge-symmetric strong coacervates form reversible gels with a correlation length on the order of the distance between bound ion pairs. Charge-asymmetric coacervates are formed from mixtures of oppositely-charged polyelectrolytes with different charge-densities. While charge-asymmetric weak coacervates form double solutions with two correlation lengths and qualitatively different chain conformations of polycations and polyanions, charge-asymmetric strong coacervates form bottlebrush and star-like gels. Unlike liquid coacervates, for which an increase in the concentration of added salt screens electrostatic interactions, causing structural rearrangement and eventually leads to their dissolution, the salt does not affect the structure of strong coacervates until ion pairs dissociate and the gel disperses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Scott P O Danielsen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
| | - Sergey Panyukov
- P. N. Lebedev Physics Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 117924, Russia
| | - Michael Rubinstein
- Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Physics, and Chemistry, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, United States
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
SAXS methods for investigating macromolecular and self-assembled polyelectrolyte complexes. Methods Enzymol 2020; 646:223-259. [PMID: 33453927 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2020.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Polyelectrolyte complexation is driven by associative interactions between oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, resulting in formation of a macroscopic polymer dense phase and a polymer dilute phase with applications in coatings, adhesives, and purification membranes. Beyond macroscale phase separation, precision polymer synthesis has enabled further development of polyelectrolyte complex (PEC)-based self-assembled micelles and hydrogels with applications in biotechnology. Interestingly, it has been suggested that mechanisms similar to polyelectrolyte complexation drive formation of biological condensates that play an indispensable role in cellular biogenesis. The formation pathways and functionality of these complex materials is dependent on the physical properties that are built into polymer structure and the resulting physical conformation in the dilute and dense phase. Scattering techniques have enabled in situ investigation of structure-function relationships in PEC materials that may address unresolved biophysical questions in cellular processes as well as catalyze the development of novel materials for diverse applications. We describe preparation of PEC materials with controlled polymer characteristics (length, blockiness, charge density), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) techniques employed to probe appropriate length scales, and the data analysis routines from a practical standpoint for new users. This article deals with bulk complexes and not with the related, important and interesting area of non-equilibrium layer-by-layer assembly of polyelectrolytes.
Collapse
|
12
|
Kim JM, Heo TY, Choi SH. Structure and Relaxation Dynamics for Complex Coacervate Hydrogels Formed by ABA Triblock Copolymers. Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c01600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Min Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Young Heo
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Hyung Choi
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Hongik University, Seoul 04066, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Blocher McTigue WC, Voke E, Chang LW, Perry SL. The benefit of poor mixing: kinetics of coacervation. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2020; 22:20643-20657. [PMID: 32895678 DOI: 10.1039/d0cp03224g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Complex coacervation has become a prominent area of research in the fields of food science, personal care, drug stabilization, and more. However, little has been reported on the kinetics of assembly of coacervation itself. Here, we describe a simple, low-cost way of looking at the kinetics of coacervation by creating poorly mixed samples. In particular, we examine how polymer chain length, the patterning and symmetry of charges on the oppositely charged polyelectrolytes, and the presence of salt and a zwitterionic buffer affect the kinetics of complex coacervation. Our results suggest an interesting relationship between the time for equilibration and the order of addition of polymers with asymmetric patterns of charge. Furthermore, we demonstrated that increasing polymer chain length resulted in a non-monotonic trend in the sample equilibration times as a result of opposing factors such as excluded volume and diffusion. We also observed differences in the rate of sample equilibration based on the presence of a neutral, zwitterionic buffer, as well as the presence and identity of added salt, consistent with previous reports of salt-specific effects on the rheology of complex coacervates. While not a replacement for more advanced characterization strategies, this turbidity-based method could serve as a screening tool to identify interesting and unique phenomena for further study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth Voke
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA.
| | - Li-Wei Chang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA.
| | - Sarah L Perry
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Li L, Srivastava S, Meng S, Ting JM, Tirrell MV. Effects of Non-Electrostatic Intermolecular Interactions on the Phase Behavior of pH-Sensitive Polyelectrolyte Complexes. Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c00999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lu Li
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Samanvaya Srivastava
- Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Siqi Meng
- 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
| | - Matthew V. Tirrell
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Center for Molecular Engineering and Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Srivastava S, Levi AE, Goldfeld DJ, Tirrell MV. Structure, Morphology, and Rheology of Polyelectrolyte Complex Hydrogels Formed by Self-Assembly of Oppositely Charged Triblock Polyelectrolytes. Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c00847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Samanvaya Srivastava
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - Adam E. Levi
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, United States
| | - David J. Goldfeld
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Center for Molecular Engineering and Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Matthew V. Tirrell
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Center for Molecular Engineering and Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Blocher McTigue WC, Perry SL. Protein Encapsulation Using Complex Coacervates: What Nature Has to Teach Us. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2020; 16:e1907671. [PMID: 32363758 DOI: 10.1002/smll.201907671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Protein encapsulation is a growing area of interest, particularly in the fields of food science and medicine. The sequestration of protein cargoes is achieved using a variety of methods, each with benefits and drawbacks. One of the most significant challenges associated with protein encapsulation is achieving high loading while maintaining protein viability. This difficulty is exacerbated because many encapsulant systems require the use of organic solvents. By contrast, nature has optimized strategies to compartmentalize and protect proteins inside the cell-a purely aqueous environment. Although the mechanisms whereby aspects of the cytosol is able to stabilize proteins are unknown, the crowded nature of many newly discovered, liquid phase separated "membraneless organelles" that achieve protein compartmentalization suggests that the material environment surrounding the protein may be critical in determining stability. Here, encapsulation strategies based on liquid-liquid phase separation, and complex coacervation in particular, which has many of the key features of the cytoplasm as a material, are reviewed. The literature on protein encapsulation via coacervation is also reviewed and the parameters relevant to creating protein-containing coacervate formulations are discussed. Additionally, potential opportunities associated with the creation of tailored materials to better facilitate protein encapsulation and stabilization are highlighted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah L Perry
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Ting JM, Marras AE, Mitchell JD, Campagna TR, Tirrell MV. Comparing Zwitterionic and PEG Exteriors of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles. Molecules 2020; 25:E2553. [PMID: 32486282 PMCID: PMC7321349 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25112553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A series of model polyelectrolyte complex micelles (PCMs) was prepared to investigate the consequences of neutral and zwitterionic chemistries and distinct charged cores on the size and stability of nanocarriers. Using aqueous reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, we synthesized a well-defined diblock polyelectrolyte system, poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine methacrylate)-block-poly((vinylbenzyl) trimethylammonium) (PMPC-PVBTMA), at various neutral and charged block lengths to compare directly against PCM structure-property relationships centered on poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly((vinylbenzyl) trimethylammonium) (PEG-PVBTMA) and poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(l-lysine) (PEG-PLK). After complexation with a common polyanion, poly(sodium acrylate), the resulting PCMs were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). We observed uniform assemblies of spherical micelles with a diameter ~1.5-2× larger when PMPC-PVBTMA was used compared to PEG-PLK and PEG-PVBTMA via SAXS and DLS. In addition, PEG-PLK PCMs proved most resistant to dissolution by both monovalent and divalent salt, followed by PEG-PVBTMA then PMPC-PVBTMA. All micelle systems were serum stable in 100% fetal bovine serum over the course of 8 h by time-resolved DLS, demonstrating minimal interactions with serum proteins and potential as in vivo drug delivery vehicles. This thorough study of the synthesis, assembly, and characterization of zwitterionic polymers in PCMs advances the design space for charge-driven micelle assemblies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey M. Ting
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (J.M.T.); (A.E.M.); (J.D.M.); (T.R.C.)
- Center for Molecular Engineering and Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Alexander E. Marras
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (J.M.T.); (A.E.M.); (J.D.M.); (T.R.C.)
- Center for Molecular Engineering and Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Joseph D. Mitchell
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (J.M.T.); (A.E.M.); (J.D.M.); (T.R.C.)
| | - Trinity R. Campagna
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (J.M.T.); (A.E.M.); (J.D.M.); (T.R.C.)
| | - Matthew V. Tirrell
- Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; (J.M.T.); (A.E.M.); (J.D.M.); (T.R.C.)
- Center for Molecular Engineering and Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Sing CE, Perry SL. Recent progress in the science of complex coacervation. SOFT MATTER 2020; 16:2885-2914. [PMID: 32134099 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm00001a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 309] [Impact Index Per Article: 77.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Complex coacervation is an associative, liquid-liquid phase separation that can occur in solutions of oppositely-charged macromolecular species, such as proteins, polymers, and colloids. This process results in a coacervate phase, which is a dense mix of the oppositely-charged components, and a supernatant phase, which is primarily devoid of these same species. First observed almost a century ago, coacervates have since found relevance in a wide range of applications; they are used in personal care and food products, cutting edge biotechnology, and as a motif for materials design and self-assembly. There has recently been a renaissance in our understanding of this important class of material phenomena, bringing the science of coacervation to the forefront of polymer and colloid science, biophysics, and industrial materials design. In this review, we describe the emergence of a number of these new research directions, specifically in the context of polymer-polymer complex coacervates, which are inspired by a number of key physical and chemical insights and driven by a diverse range of experimental, theoretical, and computational approaches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charles E Sing
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews, Urbana, IL, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Sing CE. Micro- to macro-phase separation transition in sequence-defined coacervates. J Chem Phys 2020; 152:024902. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5140756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Charles E. Sing
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Ave., Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Wu H, Ting JM, Weiss TM, Tirrell MV. Interparticle Interactions in Dilute Solutions of Polyelectrolyte Complex Micelles. ACS Macro Lett 2019; 8:819-825. [PMID: 35619501 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.9b00226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The application of dilute solutions of polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) micelles for delivering therapeutic nucleic acids into disease sites has gained momentum. This Letter reports a detailed characterization of PEC micelles in dilute solutions including their internal structures and the determination of the interparticle interactions. The polymer concentration ranges from 0.1 to 0.5 wt %, a regime where micelle-micelle interactions are infrequent. We employ synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to simultaneously probe the morphology, internal structure, and radius of gyration (Rg) of the self-assemblies formed by charged diblock polyelectrolytes and homopolyelectrolytes. The emerging appearance of the structure factor in SAXS profiles with the increasing polymer concentration demonstrates the presence of the repulsive intermicellar correlations, which is further confirmed by the differences between the "reciprocal Rg" estimated by Guinier approximation and the "real space Rg" determined by pair distribution functions. We find that the soft corona chains tethered on the surface of phase-separated complex domains are compressed when micelles come close to the point where a hard-sphere interaction takes over. These findings contribute to the fundamental understanding of the structure and space-filling constraints in the complexation-driven self-assemblies and advance the rational design of cationic polymer-based nonviral gene delivery vectors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wu
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Jeffrey M. Ting
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Thomas M. Weiss
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Matthew V. Tirrell
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United States
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Ong GMC, Sing CE. Mapping the phase behavior of coacervate-driven self-assembly in diblock copolyelectrolytes. SOFT MATTER 2019; 15:5116-5127. [PMID: 31188388 DOI: 10.1039/c9sm00741e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Oppositely-charged polymers can undergo an associative phase separation process known as complex coacervation, which is driven by the electrostatic attraction between the two polymer species. This driving force for phase separation can be harnessed to drive self-assembly, via pairs of block copolyelectrolytes with opposite charge and thus favorable coulombic interactions. There are few predictions of coacervate self-assembly phase behavior due to the wide variety of molecular and environmental parameters, along with fundamental theoretical challenges. In this paper, we use recent advances in coacervate theory to predict the solution-phase assembly of diblock polyelectrolyte pairs for a number of molecular design parameters (charged block fraction, polymer length). Phase diagrams show that self-assembly occurs at high polymer, low salt concentrations for a range of charge block fractions. We show that we qualitatively obtain limiting results seen in the experimental literature, including the emergence of a high polymer-fraction reentrant transition that gives rise to a self-compatibilized homopolymer coacervate behavior at the limit of high charge block fraction. In intermediate charge block fractions, we draw an analogy between the role of salt concentration in coacervation-driven assembly and the role of temperature in χ-driven assembly. We also explore salt partitioning between microphase separated domains in block copolyelectrolytes, with parallels to homopolyelectrolyte coacervation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gary M C Ong
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, 600 S. Mathews Ave., Urbana, IL, USA.
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Sun Y, Deming TJ. Self-Healing Multiblock Copolypeptide Hydrogels via Polyion Complexation. ACS Macro Lett 2019; 8:553-557. [PMID: 35619374 DOI: 10.1021/acsmacrolett.9b00269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Diblock, triblock, and pentablock copolypeptides were designed and prepared for formation of polyion complex hydrogels in aqueous media. Increasing the number of block segments was found to allow formation of hydrogels with substantially enhanced stiffness at equivalent concentrations. Use of similar length ionic segments also allowed mixing of different block architectures to fine-tune hydrogel properties. The pentablock hydrogels possess a promising combination of high stiffness, rapid self-healing properties, and cell compatible surface chemistry that makes them promising candidates for applications requiring injectable or printable hydrogel scaffolds.
Collapse
|
23
|
Lou J, Friedowitz S, Qin J, Xia Y. Tunable Coacervation of Well-Defined Homologous Polyanions and Polycations by Local Polarity. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2019; 5:549-557. [PMID: 30937382 PMCID: PMC6439447 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.8b00964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2018] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The ionic complexation of polyelectrolytes is an important mechanism underlying many important biological processes and technical applications. The main driving force for complexation is electrostatic, which is known to be affected by the local polarity near charge centers, but the impact of which on the complexation of polyelectrolytes remains poorly explored. We developed a homologous series of well-defined polyelectrolytes with identical backbone structures, controlled molecular weights, and tunable local polarity to modulate the solvation environment near charged groups. A multitude of systematic, accurate phase diagrams were obtained by spectroscopic measurements of polymer concentrations via fluorescent labeling of polycations. These phase diagrams unambiguously revealed that the liquidlike coacervation is more stable against salt addition at reduced local polarity over a wide range of molecular weights. These trends were quantitatively captured by a theory of complexation that incorporates the effects of dispersion interactions, charge connectivity, and reversible ion-binding, providing the microscopic design rules for tuning molecular parameters and local polarity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junzhe Lou
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford
University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Sean Friedowitz
- Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford
University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Jian Qin
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Yan Xia
- Department
of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Tang JD, Mura C, Lampe KJ. Stimuli-Responsive, Pentapeptide, Nanofiber Hydrogel for Tissue Engineering. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:4886-4899. [PMID: 30830776 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b13363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 167] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Short peptides are uniquely versatile building blocks for self-assembly. Supramolecular peptide assemblies can be used to construct functional hydrogel biomaterials-an attractive approach for neural tissue engineering. Here, we report a new class of short, five-residue peptides that form hydrogels with nanofiber structures. Using rheology and spectroscopy, we describe how sequence variations, pH, and peptide concentration alter the mechanical properties of our pentapeptide hydrogels. We find that this class of seven unmodified peptides forms robust hydrogels from 0.2-20 kPa at low weight percent (less than 3 wt %) in cell culture media and undergoes shear-thinning and rapid self-healing. The peptides self-assemble into long fibrils with sequence-dependent fibrillar morphologies. These fibrils exhibit a unique twisted ribbon shape, as visualized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Cryo-EM imaging, with diameters in the low tens of nanometers and periodicities similar to amyloid fibrils. Experimental gelation behavior corroborates our molecular dynamics simulations, which demonstrate peptide assembly behavior, an increase in β-sheet content, and patterns of variation in solvent accessibility. Our rapidly assembling pentapeptides for injectable delivery (RAPID) hydrogels are syringe-injectable and support cytocompatible encapsulation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs), as well as their proliferation and three-dimensional process extension. Furthermore, RAPID gels protect OPCs from mechanical membrane disruption and acute loss of viability when ejected from a syringe needle, highlighting the protective capability of the hydrogel as potential cell carriers for transplantation therapies. The tunable mechanical and structural properties of these supramolecular assemblies are shown to be permissive to cell expansion and remodeling, making this hydrogel system suitable as an injectable material for cell delivery and tissue engineering applications.
Collapse
|
25
|
Rahalkar A, Wei G, Nieuwendaal R, Prabhu VM, Srivastava S, Levi AE, de Pablo JJ, Tirrell MV. Effect of temperature on the structure and dynamics of triblock polyelectrolyte gels. J Chem Phys 2018; 149:163310. [DOI: 10.1063/1.5035083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anand Rahalkar
- Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
| | - Guangmin Wei
- Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
| | - Ryan Nieuwendaal
- Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
| | - Vivek M. Prabhu
- Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 Bureau Drive, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
| | - Samanvaya Srivastava
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Adam E. Levi
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Juan J. de Pablo
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Matthew V. Tirrell
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Acar H, Ting JM, Srivastava S, LaBelle JL, Tirrell MV. Molecular engineering solutions for therapeutic peptide delivery. Chem Soc Rev 2018; 46:6553-6569. [PMID: 28902203 DOI: 10.1039/c7cs00536a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Proteins and their interactions in and out of cells must be well-orchestrated for the healthy functioning and regulation of the body. Even the slightest disharmony can cause diseases. Therapeutic peptides are short amino acid sequences (generally considered <50 amino acids) that can naturally mimic the binding interfaces between proteins and thus, influence protein-protein interactions. Because of their fidelity of binding, peptides are a promising next generation of personalized medicines to reinstate biological harmony. Peptides as a group are highly selective, relatively safe, and biocompatible. However, they are also vulnerable to many in vivo pharmacologic barriers limiting their clinical translation. Current advances in molecular, chemical, and nanoparticle engineering are helping to overcome these previously insurmountable obstacles and improve the future of peptides as active and highly selective therapeutics. In this review, we focus on self-assembled vehicles as nanoparticles to carry and protect therapeutic peptides through this journey, and deliver them to the desired tissue.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Handan Acar
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Sadeghi I, Asatekin A. Spontaneous Self‐Assembly and Micellization of Random Copolymers in Organic Solvents. MACROMOL CHEM PHYS 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/macp.201700226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ilin Sadeghi
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department Tufts University Medford MA 02155 USA
| | - Ayse Asatekin
- Chemical and Biological Engineering Department Tufts University Medford MA 02155 USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Srivastava S, Andreev M, Levi AE, Goldfeld DJ, Mao J, Heller WT, Prabhu VM, de Pablo JJ, Tirrell MV. Gel phase formation in dilute triblock copolyelectrolyte complexes. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14131. [PMID: 28230046 PMCID: PMC5331217 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Assembly of oppositely charged triblock copolyelectrolytes into phase-separated gels at low polymer concentrations (<1% by mass) has been observed in scattering experiments and molecular dynamics simulations. Here we show that in contrast to uncharged, amphiphilic block copolymers that form discrete micelles at low concentrations and enter a phase of strongly interacting micelles in a gradual manner with increasing concentration, the formation of a dilute phase of individual micelles is prevented in polyelectrolyte complexation-driven assembly of triblock copolyelectrolytes. Gel phases form and phase separate almost instantaneously on solvation of the copolymers. Furthermore, molecular models of self-assembly demonstrate the presence of oligo-chain aggregates in early stages of copolyelectrolyte assembly, at experimentally unobservable polymer concentrations. Our discoveries contribute to the fundamental understanding of the structure and pathways of complexation-driven assemblies, and raise intriguing prospects for gel formation at extraordinarily low concentrations, with applications in tissue engineering, agriculture, water purification and theranostics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samanvaya Srivastava
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA
| | - Marat Andreev
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Adam E. Levi
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - David J. Goldfeld
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Jun Mao
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA
| | - William T. Heller
- Biology & Soft Matter Division, Oak Ridge National laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, USA
| | - Vivek M. Prabhu
- Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
| | - Juan J. de Pablo
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA
| | - Matthew V. Tirrell
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
- Institute for Molecular Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Liu Y, Winter HH, Perry SL. Linear viscoelasticity of complex coacervates. Adv Colloid Interface Sci 2017; 239:46-60. [PMID: 27633928 DOI: 10.1016/j.cis.2016.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 87] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Rheology is a powerful method for material characterization that can provide detailed information about the self-assembly, structure, and intermolecular interactions present in a material. Here, we review the use of linear viscoelastic measurements for the rheological characterization of complex coacervate-based materials. Complex coacervation is an electrostatically and entropically-driven associative liquid-liquid phase separation phenomenon that can result in the formation of bulk liquid phases, or the self-assembly of hierarchical, microphase separated materials. We discuss the need to link thermodynamic studies of coacervation phase behavior with characterization of material dynamics, and provide parallel examples of how parameters such as charge stoichiometry, ionic strength, and polymer chain length impact self-assembly and material dynamics. We conclude by highlighting key areas of need in the field, and specifically call for the development of a mechanistic understanding of how molecular-level interactions in complex coacervate-based materials affect both self-assembly and material dynamics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yalin Liu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - H Henning Winter
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Sarah L Perry
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Lytle TK, Radhakrishna M, Sing CE. High Charge Density Coacervate Assembly via Hybrid Monte Carlo Single Chain in Mean Field Theory. Macromolecules 2016. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.6b02159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mithun Radhakrishna
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | | |
Collapse
|
31
|
Blocher WC, Perry SL. Complex coacervate-based materials for biomedicine. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-NANOMEDICINE AND NANOBIOTECHNOLOGY 2016; 9. [DOI: 10.1002/wnan.1442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Revised: 09/10/2016] [Accepted: 10/02/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Whitney C. Blocher
- Department of Chemical Engineering; University of Massachusetts Amherst; Amherst MA USA
| | - Sarah L. Perry
- Department of Chemical Engineering; University of Massachusetts Amherst; Amherst MA USA
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew V. Tirrell
- Institute for Molecular Engineering; The University of Chicago; Chicago IL USA
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Chassenieux C, Tsitsilianis C. Recent trends in pH/thermo-responsive self-assembling hydrogels: from polyions to peptide-based polymeric gelators. SOFT MATTER 2016; 12:1344-1359. [PMID: 26781351 DOI: 10.1039/c5sm02710a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
In this article, we highlight some recent developments in "smart" physical hydrogels achieved by self-assembling of block type macromolecules. More precisely we focus on two interesting types of gelators namely conventional ionic (or ionogenic) block copolymers and peptide-based polymers having as a common feature their responsiveness to pH and/or temperature which are the main triggers used for potential biomedical applications. Taking advantage of the immense skills of conventional block copolymer hydrogelators, namely macromolecular design, self-assembling mechanism, gel rheological properties, responsiveness to various triggers and innovative applications, the development of novel self-assembling gelators, integrating the new knowledge emerging from the peptide-based systems, opens new horizons towards bio-inspired technologies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Chassenieux
- LUNAM Université, Université du Maine, IMMM-UMR CNRS 6283, Département Polymères, Colloides et Interfaces, av. O. Messiaen, 72085 Le Μans cedex 9, France
| | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Laaser JE, Jiang Y, Petersen SR, Reineke TM, Lodge TP. Interpolyelectrolyte Complexes of Polycationic Micelles and Linear Polyanions: Structural Stability and Temporal Evolution. J Phys Chem B 2015; 119:15919-28. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.5b09010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer E. Laaser
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street Southeast, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Yaming Jiang
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Avenue Southeast, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | | | - Theresa M. Reineke
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street Southeast, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Timothy P. Lodge
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street Southeast, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Materials Science, University of Minnesota, 421 Washington Avenue Southeast, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Takahashi R, Sato T, Terao K, Yusa SI. Intermolecular Interactions and Self-Assembly in Aqueous Solution of a Mixture of Anionic–Neutral and Cationic–Neutral Block Copolymers. Macromolecules 2015. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.5b01368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rintaro Takahashi
- Department
of Macromolecular Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Takahiro Sato
- Department
of Macromolecular Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Ken Terao
- Department
of Macromolecular Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan
| | - Shin-ichi Yusa
- Department
of Materials Science and Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, University of Hyogo,
2167 Shosha, Himeji, Hyogo 671-2280, Japan
| |
Collapse
|