Fast and Scalable Synthetic Route to Densely Grafted, Branched Polystyrenes and Polydienes via Anionic Polymerization Utilizing P2VP as Branching Point

Defined, branched polymer architectures with low dispersity and architectural purity are of great interest to polymer science but are challenging to synthesize. Besides star and comb, especially the pom-pom topology is of interest as it is the simplest topology with exactly two branching points. Most synthetic approaches to a pom-pom topology reported a lack of full control and variability over one of the three topological parameters, the backbone or arm molecular weight and arm number. A new, elegant, fast, and scalable synthetic route without the need for post-polymerization modification (PPM) or purification steps during the synthesis to a pom-pom and a broad variety of topologies made from styrene and dienes is reported, with potential application to barbwire, bottlebrush, miktoarm star, Janus type polymers, or multi-graft copolymers. The key is to inset short poly(2-vinyl-pyridine) blocks (<2 mol% in the branched product) into the backbone as branching points. Carb anions can react at the C6 carbon of the pyridine ring, grafting the arms onto the backbone. Since the synthetic route to polystyrene pom-poms has only two steps and is free of PPM or purification, large amounts of up to 300 g of defined pom-pom structures can be synthesized in one batch.

From Unimolecular Template to Silver Nanocrystal Clusters: An Effective Strategy to Balance Antibacterial Activity and Cytotoxicity

Silver nanomaterials have attracted a great deal of interest due to their broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. However, it is still challenging to balance the high antibacterial efficiency with low damage to biological cells of silver nanostructures, especially when the diameter decreases to less than 10 nm. Here, we developed a new type of Ag nanohybrid material via a unimolecular micelle template method, which presents amazing antibacterial activities and almost noncytotoxicity. First, water-soluble multiarm star-shaped brushlike copolymer α-CD-g-[(PEO₄₀-g-PAA₅₀)-b-PEO₅]₁₈ was precisely synthesized and its micelle behavior in different solvents was revealed. Then, nanocrystal clusters assembled by Ag grains (Ag@Template NCs) were prepared through an in situ redox route using the unimolecular micelle of α-CD-g-[(PEO₄₀-g-PAA₅₀)-b-PEO₅]₁₈ as the soft template, AgNO₃ as a precursor, and tetrabutylammonium borohydride (TBAB) as the reducing agent. The overall size of the achieved Ag@Template NCs is controlled by the template structure at around 40 nm (D_h in DMF), and the size of the Ag grain can be easily regulated from ∼1 to ∼5 nm by adjusting the feeding ratio of AgNO₃/acrylic acid (AA) units in the template from 1:10 to 1:1. Benefitting from the structural design of the template, all Ag@Template NCs prepared here exhibit excellent dispersibility and chemical stability in different aqueous environments (neutral, pH = 5.5, and 0.9% NaCl physiological saline solution), which play a crucial role in the long-term storage and potential application in a complex physiological environment. The antibacterial and cytotoxicity tests indicate that Ag@Template NCs display much better performance than Ag nanoparticles (Ag NPs), which have a comparable overall size of ∼25 nm. The inhibitory capability of Ag@Template NCs to bacteria strongly depends on the grain size. Specifically, the Ag@Template-1 NC assembled by the smallest grains (1.6 ± 0.3 nm) presents the best antibacterial activity. For E. coli (-), the MIC value is as low as 5 μg/mL (0.36 μg/mL of Ag), while for S. aureus (+), the value is around 10 μg/mL (0.72 μg/mL of Ag). The survival rate of L02 cells and lactate dehydrogenase assay together illustrate the low cytotoxicity possessed by the prepared Ag@Template NCs. Therefore, the proposed Ag@Template NC structure successfully resolves the high reactivity, instability, and fast oxidation issues of the ultrasmall Ag nanoparticles, and integrates high antibacterial efficiency and nontoxicity to biological cells into one platform, which implies its broad potential application in biomedicine.

Thermo- and redox-responsive dumbbell-shaped copolymers: from structure design to the LCST–UCST transition

Redox- and thermo-responsive dumbbell-shaped copolymers and their self-assembly and stimuli-responsive properties were investigated.

Functional materials generated by allying cyclodextrin-based supramolecular chemistry with living polymerization

Cyclodextrin molecules are cyclic oligosaccharides that display a unique structure including an inner side and two faces on their outer sides.

A review on core-shell structured unimolecular nanoparticles for biomedical applications

Polymeric unimolecular nanoparticles (NPs) exhibiting a core-shell structure and formed by a single multi-arm molecule containing only covalent bonds have attracted increasing attention for numerous biomedical applications. This unique single-molecular architecture provides the unimolecular NP with superior stability both in vitro and in vivo, a high drug loading capacity, as well as versatile surface chemistry, thereby making it a desirable nanoplatform for therapeutic and diagnostic applications. In this review, we surveyed the architecture of various types of polymeric unimolecular NPs, including water-dispersible unimolecular micelles and water-soluble unimolecular NPs used for the delivery of hydrophobic and hydrophilic agents, respectively, as well as their diverse biomedical applications. Future opportunities and challenges of unimolecular NPs were also briefly discussed.

Solution self-assembly of poly(3-hexylthiophene)–poly(lactide) brush copolymers: impact of side chain arrangement

Solution self-assembly of P3HT-containing copolymers was tailored effectively via bottlebrush architecture, particularly by tuning its side chain arrangement as well as copolymer composition.

Aromatic polyamides and copolyamides containing fluorene group

A series of new aromatic polyamides (PAs) and copolyamides (CPAs) containing fluorene group have been synthesized through polycondensation reaction. The chemical structure was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). PAs and CPAs exhibited the higher thermal stability ( Td15 > 378°C in nitrogen), the higher glass transition temperature ( Tg > 345°C), and excellent solubility in polar solvent. Gas transport properties of the PA and CPA membranes were investigated using different single gases (hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO2), oxygen (O2), methane (CH4), and nitrogen (N2)). We discussed the effect of chemical structure and operating temperature on gas transport properties. The results show that PA-1 containing a hexafluoroisopropylidene moiety exhibited the highest gas permeability ( PH2 = 12.71 Barrer, PCO2 = 12.26 Barrer, and PO2 = 2.62 Barrer) and reasonably good selectivity ( α(H2/N2) = 27.63, α(CO2/N2) = 26.65, and α(O2/N2) = 5.70) at 25°C and 1 atm. For all the membranes, gas permeability gradually increased with the increase in operating temperature, while the selectivity gradually decreased. These gas permeation results were well correlated with fractional free volume, interchain d-spacing ( dsp), and intermolecular interaction.

Self-Assembled Morphologies of Linear and Miktoarm Star Triblock Copolymer Monolayers

Monolayers of linear and miktoarm star ABC triblock copolymers with equal A and C blocks were investigated using self-consistent field theory. Monolayers of ABC triblock copolymers were formed between two parallel surfaces that were attractive to the A and C blocks. The repulsive interaction parameter χ_ACN between the A and C blocks was chosen to be weaker than the A/B and B/C interactions, quantified by χ_ABN and χ_BCN, respectively, such that the B blocks were confined at the A/C interface, resulting in various B domains with different geometries and arrangements. It was observed that two variables, namely, the strength of the surface fields and the film thickness, were dominant factors controlling the self-assembly of the B blocks into various morphologies. For the linear triblock copolymers, the morphologies of the B domains included disks, stripes (parallel cylinders), and hexagonal networks (inverse disks). For the miktoarm star triblock copolymers, the competition between the tendency to align the junction points along a straight line and the constraint on their arrangement from the surface interactions led to richer ordered morphologies. As a result of the packing of the junction points of the ABC miktoarm star copolymers, a counterintuitive phase sequence from low-curvature phases to high-curvature phases with increasing length of B block was predicted. The study indicates that the self-assembly of monolayers of ABC triblock copolymers provides an interesting platform for engineering novel morphologies.

“Y”-shape armed amphiphilic star-like copolymers: design, synthesis and dual-responsive unimolecular micelle formation for controlled drug delivery

Dual stimuli-responsive unimolecular micelles from “Y”-shape armed amphiphilic star-like copolymer are designed for controlled drug delivery.

Synthesis of platinum(ii) complex end functionalized star polymers: luminescence enhancements and unimolecular micelles in solvents of weakened quality

Platinum(ii) complex end functionalized star polymers have been synthesized by reacting K₂PtCl₄ with star ligands ended with 2,6-bis(benzimidazol-2′-yl)pyridine. They show luminescence enhancements and form unimolecular micelles in solvents of weakened quality.

A novel radical polymerization system initiated by a redox reaction with NHPI and xanthone

A novel redox reaction system consisting of xanthone (XT) andN-hydroxyphthalimide (NHPI) for radical polymerization is developed where NHPI and XT experience a one-electron-transfer reaction, which produces two kinds of radicals, PINO radicals and cycloketyl (CK) radicals.

Controlled synthesis of multi-armed P3HT star polymers with gold nanoparticle core

Well-defined multi-armed P3HT star polymers with a gold nanoparticle (NP) core were synthesized by an arm-first method based on a ligand exchange reaction between linear end-functionalized P3HT (P3HT-SH) and gold NPs.

Synthesis and properties of clickable A(B-b-C)20 miktoarm star-shaped block copolymers with a terminal alkyne group

A novel and reactive A(B-b-C)₂₀ miktoarm star-shaped block copolymer has been successfully synthesized through ATRP reaction combined with click reactions.

A versatile strategy for uniform hybrid nanoparticles and nanocapsules

A novel and versatile strategy for uniform organo-silica hybrid nanoparticles and nanocapsules was developed. The key to our strategy is the implementation of spherical star-like homopolymers and diblock copolymers with well-controlled molecular weights that form unimolecular micelles in solution as nanoreactors.