Iron-based hybrid polyionic complexes as chemical reservoirs for the pH-triggered synthesis of Prussian blue nanoparticles

HYPOTHESIS

Hybrid polyion complexes (HPICs) obtained from the complexation in aqueous solution of a double hydrophilic block copolymer and metal ions can act as efficient precursors for the controlled synthesis of nanoparticles. In particular, the possibility to control the availability of metal ions by playing on the pH conditions is of special interest to obtain nanoparticles with controlled size and composition.

EXPERIMENTS

HPICs based on Fe³⁺ ions were used to initiate the formation of Prussian blue (PB) nanoparticles in presence of potassium ferrocyanide in reaction media with varying pH values.

FINDINGS

Complexed Fe³⁺ ions within HPICs can be easily released by adjusting the pH value either through the addition of a base/acid or by using a merocyanine photoacid. This allows to modulate the reactivity of Fe³⁺ ions with potassium ferrocyanide present in solution. As a result, PB nanoparticles with different structures (core, core-shell), composition and controlled size are obtained.

Double-hydrophilic block copolymer-metal ion associations: Structures, properties and applications

Hybrid polyionic complexes (HPICs), constructed from double-hydrophilic block copolymers and metal ions, have been largely developed with increasing interest in the past decade in the fields of catalysis, materials science and biological applications. The chemical natures of both blocks are very versatile, but one block should be able to interact with ions, and the second one should be neutral. Many metals have been used to form HPICs, which have, in their simplest architectural form, a core-shell structure of a few tens of nanometers in radius with an external shell made of the neutral block of the copolymer. In this review, we focus our discussion on the stability, shape, size and inner structure of these hybrid micelles. We then describe the most recent applications of HPICs, as reported in the literature, and point out the current challenges, missing structural information and future perspectives for this class of organized structures.

Double hydrophilic copolymers - synthetic approaches, architectural variety, and current application fields

Solubility and functionality of polymeric materials are essential properties determining their role in any application. In that regard, double hydrophilic copolymers (DHC) are typically constructed from two chemically dissimilar but water-soluble building blocks. During the past decades, these materials have been intensely developed and utilised as, e.g., matrices for the design of multifunctional hybrid materials, in drug carriers and gene delivery, as nanoreactors, or as sensors. This is predominantly due to almost unlimited possibilities to precisely tune DHC composition and topology, their solution behavior, e.g., stimuli-response, and potential interactions with small molecules, ions and (nanoparticle) surfaces. In this contribution we want to highlight that this class of polymers has experienced tremendous progress regarding synthesis, architectural variety, and the possibility to combine response to different stimuli within one material. Especially the implementation of DHCs as versatile building blocks in hybrid materials expanded the range of water-based applications during the last two decades, which now includes also photocatalysis, sensing, and 3D inkjet printing of hydrogels, definitely going beyond already well-established utilisation in biomedicine or as templates.

Autofluorescence-Free In Vivo Imaging Using Polymer-Stabilized Nd3+-Doped YAG Nanocrystals

Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG:Nd³⁺) has been widely developed during roughly the past 60 years and has been an outstanding fluorescent material. It has been considered as the gold standard among multipurpose solid-state lasers. Yet, the successful downsizing of this system into the nanoregimen has been elusive, so far. Indeed, the synthesis of a garnet structure at the nanoscale, with enough crystalline quality for optical applications, was found to be quite challenging. Here, we present an improved solvothermal synthesis method producing YAG:Nd³⁺ nanocrystals of remarkably good structural quality. Adequate surface functionalization using asymmetric double-hydrophilic block copolymers, constituted of a metal-binding block and a neutral water-soluble block, provides stabilized YAG:Nd³⁺ nanocrystals with long-term colloidal stability in aqueous suspensions. These newly stabilized nanoprobes offer spectroscopic quality (long lifetimes, narrow emission lines, and large Stokes shifts) close to that of bulk YAG:Nd³⁺. The narrow emission lines of YAG:Nd³⁺ nanocrystals are exploited by differential infrared fluorescence imaging, thus achieving an autofluorescence-free in vivo readout. In addition, nanothermometry measurements, based on the ratiometric fluorescence of the stabilized YAG:Nd³⁺ nanocrystals, are demonstrated. The progress here reported paves the way for the implementation of this new stabilized YAG:Nd³⁺ system in the preclinical arena.

On Complex Coacervate Core Micelles: Structure-Function Perspectives

The co-assembly of ionic-neutral block copolymers with oppositely charged species produces nanometric colloidal complexes, known, among other names, as complex coacervates core micelles (C3Ms). C3Ms are of widespread interest in nanomedicine for controlled delivery and release, whilst research activity into other application areas, such as gelation, catalysis, nanoparticle synthesis, and sensing, is increasing. In this review, we discuss recent studies on the functional roles that C3Ms can fulfil in these and other fields, focusing on emerging structure-function relations and remaining knowledge gaps.

Construction of Paramagnetic Manganese-Chelated Polymeric Nanoparticles Using Pyrene-End-Modified Double-Hydrophilic Block Copolymers for Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Relaxivity: A Comparative Study with Cisplatin Pharmacophore

Cationic metal-mediated self-assembly of double-hydrophilic block copolymers (DHBCs) has been of great interest for the preparation of hybrid nanoparticles for versatile applications. Among many functional transition-metal ions, manganese (Mn^II) is a highly attractive element due to its paramagnetic property with a high coordination number. However, Mn^II does not lead to the efficient self-assembly of DHBCs because of the relatively high aqueous solubility of coordinated Mn^II. This article reports a facile method for direct conjugation of Mn^II ions inside sterically stabilized polymer assemblies, composed of pyrene-end-modified DHBCs. Nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization was used to prepare the poly(ethylene glycol)- b-poly(acrylate) DHBC precursor, followed by the end-modification with pyrene maleimide via the radical-exchange reaction. Employing the self-associated DHBC as the nanoscale template, the simple addition of Mn^II enables a large number of polyvalent Mn^II ions to be immobilized at the chelating blocks of DHBCs, which can be readily monitored by the excimeric fluorescence emission change of the terminal pyrene fluorophore. The resulting Mn^II-loaded polymeric nanoparticles (Mn^II-PNPs) possess nanogel-like scaffolds, which allow for efficient water permeation at the Mn^II-incorporated interior for enhanced magnetic resonance contrasting effect. Additionally, by comparing the coordination properties of Mn^II and cisplatin, we endeavor to understand the internal structures and the relevant physicochemical features of metal-chelated nanoparticles.

Controlled Aqueous Synthesis of CdSe Quantum Dots using Double-Hydrophilic Block Copolymers as Stabilizers

We present a simple experimental procedure to obtain CdSe quantum dots from aqueous solution with a controllable size. Double-hydrophilic block copolymers consisting of a poly(ethylene glycol) block and a block of either poly(ethylene imine) or polylysine are used as stabilizers. UV/VIS absorption spectroscopy, analytical ultracentrifugation and transmission electron microscopy are used to examine the resulting quantum dots. The particle size can be simply controlled by adjusting the polymer concentration during synthesis for both block copolymers.

Synthesis and Characterization of Surface Modified, Fluorescent and Biocompatible ZnS Nanoparticles with a Hydrophobic Chitosan Derivative

The introduction of a hydrophobic moiety on chitosan enhances the self-assembling properties, mucoadhesion, the permeability of the macromolecule and aids in target specific delivery. Our group synthesized a hydrophobic trans N-(6,6-Dimethyl-2-hepten-4-ynyl)chitosan derivative (CSD) and studied the surface modification of ZnS nanoparticles in a single pot reaction. X-ray diffraction studies and FESEM imaging confirms the nano size and morphology of the surface modified Zinc sulfide nanoparticles (ZnS-CSD NPs). The proposed ZnS-CSD NPs showed excellent emission at 457 nm. Photostability studies indicate that the surface modified ZnS-CSD NPs possess better photostability than Rhodamine B and FITC. Cell viability tests confirmed the biocompatibility of the modified nanoparticles. All these features of ZnS- CSD NPs makes these candidates an excellent choice in a wide range of in vitro or in vivo studies as fluorescent biological labels.

Photoluminescence and optical nonlinearity of CdS quantum dots synthesized in a functional copolymer hydrogel template

The acrylic acid content in the copolymer influences the size of the CdS QDs as well as the linear and nonlinear optical properties of the copolymer.

Assembly of Double-Hydrophilic Block Copolymers Triggered by Gadolinium Ions: New Colloidal MRI Contrast Agents

Mixing double-hydrophilic block copolymers containing a poly(acrylic acid) block with gadolinium ions in water leads to the spontaneous formation of polymeric nanoparticles. With an average diameter near 20 nm, the nanoparticles are exceptionally stable, even after dilution and over a large range of pH and ionic strength. High magnetic relaxivities were measured in vitro for these biocompatible colloids, and in vivo magnetic resonance imaging on rats demonstrates the potential utility of such polymeric assemblies.

Advantages of poly(vinyl phosphonic acid)-based double hydrophilic block copolymers for the stabilization of iron oxide nanoparticles

Poly(ethylene glycol)–poly(vinylphosphonic acid) double hydrophilic block copolymers were synthesized by RAFT/MADIX polymerization and used to prepare stable iron oxide nanoparticles.

Highly stable layered double hydroxide colloids: a direct aqueous synthesis route from hybrid polyion complex micelles

Aqueous suspensions of highly stable Mg/Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoparticles were obtained via a direct and fully colloidal route using asymmetric poly(acrylic acid)-b-poly(acrylamide) (PAA-b-PAM) double hydrophilic block copolymers (DHBCs) as growth and stabilizing agents. We showed that hybrid polyion complex (HPIC) micelles constituted of almost only Al(3+) were first formed when mixing solutions of Mg(2+) and Al(3+) cations and PAA3000-b-PAM10000 due to the preferential complexation of the trivalent cations. Then mineralization performed by progressive hydroxylation with NaOH transformed the simple DHBC/Al(3+) HPIC micelles into DHBC/aluminum hydroxide colloids, in which Mg(2+) ions were progressively introduced upon further hydroxylation leading to the Mg-Al LDH phase. The whole process of LDH formation occurred then within the confined environment of the aqueous complex colloids. The hydrodynamic diameter of the DHBC/LDH colloids could be controlled: it decreased from 530 nm down to 60 nm when the metal complexing ratio R (R = AA/(Mg + Al)) increased from 0.27 to 1. This was accompanied by a decrease of the average size of individual LDH particles as R increased (for example from 35 nm at R = 0.27 down to 17 nm at R = 0.33), together with a progressive favored intercalation of polyacrylate rather than chloride ions in the interlayer space of the LDH phase. The DHBC/LDH colloids have interesting properties for biomedical applications, that is, high colloidal stability as a function of time, stability in phosphate buffered saline solution, as well as the required size distribution for sterilization by filtration. Therefore, they could be used as colloidal drug delivery systems, especially for hydrosoluble negatively charged drugs.

One-step colloidal synthesis of biocompatible water-soluble ZnS quantum dot/chitosan nanoconjugates

Quantum dots (QDs) are luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals with great prospective for use in biomedical and environmental applications. Nonetheless, eliminating the potential cytotoxicity of the QDs made with heavy metals is still a challenge facing the research community. Thus, the aim of this work was to develop a novel facile route for synthesising biocompatible QDs employing carbohydrate ligands in aqueous colloidal chemistry with optical properties tuned by pH. The synthesis of ZnS QDs capped by chitosan was performed using a single-step aqueous colloidal process at room temperature. The nanobioconjugates were extensively characterised by several techniques, and the results demonstrated that the average size of ZnS nanocrystals and their fluorescent properties were influenced by the pH during the synthesis. Hence, novel 'cadmium-free' biofunctionalised systems based on ZnS QDs capped by chitosan were successfully developed exhibiting luminescent activity that may be used in a large number of possible applications, such as probes in biology, medicine and pharmacy.

Polymeric micelles based on poly(methacrylic acid) block-containing copolymers with different membrane destabilizing properties for cellular drug delivery

Poly(methacrylic acid)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) are double hydrophilic block copolymers, which are able to form micelles by complexation with a counter-polycation, such as poly-l-lysine. A study was carried out on the ability of the copolymers to interact with model membranes as a function of their molecular weights and as a function of pH. Different behaviors were observed: high molecular weight copolymers respect the membrane integrity, whereas low molecular weight copolymers with a well-chosen asymmetry degree can induce a membrane alteration. Hence by choosing the appropriate molecular weight, micelles with distinct membrane interaction behaviors can be obtained leading to different intracellular traffics with or without endosomal escape, making them interesting tools for cell engineering. Especially micelles constituted of low molecular weight copolymers could exhibit the endosomal escape property, which opens vast therapeutic applications. Moreover micelles possess a homogeneous nanometric size and show variable properties of disassembly at acidic pH, of stability in physiological conditions, and finally of cyto-tolerance.