1
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Ma Z, Liu G, Hu N, Chen L, Wei J. pH-induced morphological transition of aggregates formed by miktoarm star polymers in dilute solution: a mesoscopic simulation study. RSC Adv 2024; 14:24240-24249. [PMID: 39101066 PMCID: PMC11295911 DOI: 10.1039/d4ra04511d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The self-assembly of miktoarm star polymers μ-A i (B(D)) j C k in a neutral solution and the pH-responsive behaviors of vesicles and spherical micelles in an acidic solution have been investigated by DPD simulation. The results show that the self-assembled morphologies can be regulated by the lengths of pH-responsive arm B and hydrophilic arm C, leading to the formation of vesicles, discoidal micelles, and spherical micelles in a neutral solution. The dynamic evolution pathways of vesicles and spherical micelles are categorized into three stages: nucleation, coalescence, and growth. Subsequently, the pH-responsive behaviors of vesicles and spherical micelles have been explored by tuning the protonation degree of pH-responsive arm B. The vesicles evolves from nanodisks to nanosheets, then to nanoribbons, as the protonation degree increases, corresponding to a decrease in pH value, while the spherical micelles undergoes a transition into worm-like micelles, nanosheets, and nanoribbons. Notably, the electrostatic interaction leads the counterions to form a regular hexagonal pattern in nanosheets, while an alternative distribution of charged beads has been observed in nanoribbons. Furthermore, the role of the electrostatic interaction in the morphological transition has been elucidated through the analysis of the distribution of positive and negative charges, as well as the electrostatic potential for associates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengwei Ma
- College of Science, Chongqing University of Technology Chongqing 400054 China
| | - Gaiqin Liu
- College of Science, Chongqing University of Technology Chongqing 400054 China
| | - Nan Hu
- College of Science, Chongqing University of Technology Chongqing 400054 China
| | - Lin Chen
- College of Science, Chongqing University of Technology Chongqing 400054 China
| | - Jianwei Wei
- College of Science, Chongqing University of Technology Chongqing 400054 China
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2
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Xu Q, Wang Y, Zheng Y, Zhu Y, Li Z, Liu Y, Ding M. Polymersomes in Drug Delivery─From Experiment to Computational Modeling. Biomacromolecules 2024; 25:2114-2135. [PMID: 38011222 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Polymersomes, composed of amphiphilic block copolymers, are self-assembled vesicles that have gained attention as potential drug delivery systems due to their good biocompatibility, stability, and versatility. Various experimental techniques have been employed to characterize the self-assembly behaviors and properties of polymersomes. However, they have limitations in revealing molecular details and underlying mechanisms. Computational modeling techniques have emerged as powerful tools to complement experimental studies and enabled researchers to examine drug delivery mechanisms at molecular resolution. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the state of the art in the field of polymersome-based drug delivery systems, with an emphasis on insights gained from both experimental and computational studies. Specifically, we focus on polymersome morphologies, self-assembly kinetics, fusion and fission, behaviors in flow, as well as drug encapsulation and release mechanisms. Furthermore, we also identify existing challenges and limitations in this rapidly evolving field and suggest possible directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianru Xu
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P. R. China
| | - Yiwei Wang
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P. R. China
| | - Yi Zheng
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P. R. China
| | - Yuling Zhu
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P. R. China
| | - Zifen Li
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P. R. China
| | - Yang Liu
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P. R. China
| | - Mingming Ding
- College of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, P. R. China
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3
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Zhu Q, Tree DR. Simulations of morphology control of self‐assembled amphiphilic surfactants. JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/pol.20220771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Qinyu Zhu
- Department of Chemical Engineering Brigham Young University Provo Utah USA
| | - Douglas R. Tree
- Department of Chemical Engineering Brigham Young University Provo Utah USA
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4
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Li B, Wang YL. Self-Assembly of Miktoarm Star Polyelectrolytes in Solutions with Various Ionic Strengths. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:20791-20799. [PMID: 35755333 PMCID: PMC9219065 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c01317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
We studied the self-assembly of miktoarm star polyelectrolytes with different numbers of arms in solutions with various ionic strengths using coarse-grained molecular dynamic simulations. Spherical micelles are obtained for star polyelectrolytes with fewer arms, whereas wormlike clusters are obtained for star polyelectrolytes with more arms at a low ionic strength environment, with hydrophilic arms showing a stretched conformation. The number of clusters shows an overall decreasing tendency with increasing the number of arms in star polyelectrolytes due to strong electrostatic coupling between polycations and polyanions. The formation of wormlike clusters follows an overall stepwise pathway with an intermittent association-dissociation process for star polyelectrolytes with weak electrostatic coupling. These computational results can provide relevant physical insights to understand the self-assembly mechanism of star polyelectrolytes in solvents with various ionic strengths and to design star polyelectrolytes with functional groups that can fine-tune self-assembled structures for specific applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Li
- School
of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China
| | - Yong-Lei Wang
- Department
of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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5
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Rodichkin ID, Gumerov RA, Potemkin II. Self-assembly of miktoarm palm tree-like star copolymers in a selective solvent. J Colloid Interface Sci 2022; 606:1966-1973. [PMID: 34749445 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.09.196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Amphiphilic miktoarm star copolymers with one long solvophobic arm (a "stem") and several short solvophilic arms (the "leaves") were studied in a selective solvent using mesoscopic computer simulations. The conventional morphologies (spherical, cylindrical and vesicular) as well as the mixed ones were obtained. However, the resulting diagram of states appeared to be different from the diagram of the linear diblock copolymer with the analogous composition. Namely, the increase of the number of leaves at fixed solvophobic-solvophilic ratio leads to the transition from the vesicles to the cylinders, while the latter ones eventually transform into spherical micelles in the case of highly branched copolymers. The observed effect appears due to the increase of the interfacial area between the collapsed and swollen blocks per single macromolecule. In turn, the increase of the solvent selectivity shifts the stability region of the cylindrical micelles to the region of more symmetric copolymer composition. Meanwhile, the compatibility between the blocks has a weak effect on the resulting morphology. Finally, it was found that the increase in the number of leaves and the simultaneous decrease in their length results in the localization of higher amount of solvophilic segments near the core-solvent interface, which in the case of cylindrical micelles significantly affects the shape of the aggregates making them thinner and longer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan D Rodichkin
- Physics Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1-2, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation
| | - Rustam A Gumerov
- Physics Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1-2, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation; DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials e.V., Forckenbeckstraße 50, Aachen 52056, Germany
| | - Igor I Potemkin
- Physics Department, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory 1-2, Moscow 119991, Russian Federation; DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials e.V., Forckenbeckstraße 50, Aachen 52056, Germany; National Research South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk 454080, Russian Federation.
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6
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Guo Y, Yang S. Spontaneous Formation and Fusion of Raspberry Vesicle Self-Assembled from Star Block Terpolymers in Aqueous Solution. MATERIALS 2021; 14:ma14247690. [PMID: 34947284 PMCID: PMC8708504 DOI: 10.3390/ma14247690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The spontaneous formation and fusion of raspberry vesicles was studied using the dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) method. The vesicles were formed through the self-assembly of amphiphilic E12O6F2 star terpolymers in selective solvent. E and F blocks are solvophobic and the O block is solvophilic. The shortest F block plays a major role in the formation of raspberry vesicles. Distinct vesicle formation mechanisms were observed at different polymer concentrations. At higher concentrations, vesicles form via the bending and closure of an oblate F-bump-E bilayer. At lower concentrations, the formation pathway contains: the initial formation of a vesicle with a core, the combination of such vesicles into cylindrical micelles, and the bending of the cylindrical micelles to form a hollow vesicle. In addition, raspberry vesicle fusion is regulated by F bumps through the continuous coalescence of them from apposed vesicle membranes. The contact area bends, followed by the formation of a fusion pore and a tilted inner layer. As the pore sealed, the hemifusion structure appears, which further restructures to form a vesicle. Our results provide guidance on understanding the dynamic processes of complex vesicles and biological membrane fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Guo
- School of Science, Qingdao University of Technology, 777 JLJ Road, Qingdao 266520, China
- Correspondence: (Y.G.); (S.Y.)
| | - Shuyan Yang
- School of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, 777 JLJ Road, Qingdao 266520, China
- Correspondence: (Y.G.); (S.Y.)
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7
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Bačová P, Glynos E, Anastasiadis SH, Harmandaris V. How Does the Number of Arms Affect the Properties of Mikto-Arm Stars in a Selective Oligomeric Matrix? Insights from Atomistic Simulations. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:1138-1148. [PMID: 33490773 PMCID: PMC7818313 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c04167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
We present a simulation study of amphiphilic mikto-arm star copolymers in a selective polymer host. By means of atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we examine the structural and dynamical properties of mikto-arm stars with varying number, n, of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and polystyrene (PS) arms, (PEO) n (PS) n in a 33% wt blend with an oligomeric PEO host (o-PEO). As the number of arms increases, the stars resemble more spherical particles with less separated PEO and PS intramolecular domains. As a result of their internal morphology and associated geometrical constraints, the mikto-arm stars self-assemble either into cylindrical-like objects or a percolated network with increasing n, within the o-PEO matrix. The segmental dynamics is mostly governed by the star architecture and the heterogeneous local environment, formed by the intra- and intermolecular nanosegregation. We discuss the role of each factor and compare the results with previously published studies on mikto-arm stars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Bačová
- Institute
of Applied and Computational Mathematics (IACM), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Emmanouil Glynos
- Institute
of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation
for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Spiros H. Anastasiadis
- Institute
of Electronic Structure and Laser, Foundation
for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Crete, GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Vagelis Harmandaris
- Institute
of Applied and Computational Mathematics (IACM), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Department
of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Crete, GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Computation-Based
Science and Technology Research Center, The Cyprus Institute, 20 Constantinou Kavafi Street, 2121 Nicosia, Cyprus
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8
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Li Q, Zhu YL, Zhang X, Xu K, Wang J, Li Z, Bao Y. Self-Assembly of Single-Polymer-Tethered Nanoparticle Amphiphiles upon Varying Tail Length. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2020; 10:nano10112108. [PMID: 33114093 PMCID: PMC7690793 DOI: 10.3390/nano10112108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
We systematically investigated the roles of tail length on the self-assembly of shape amphiphiles composed of a hydrophobic polymer chain (tail) and a hydrophilic nanoparticle in selective solvent using Brownian dynamics simulations. The shape amphiphiles exhibited a variety of self-assembled aggregate morphologies which can be tuned by changing tail length (n) in combination with amphiphile concentration (φ) and system temperature (T*). Specifically, at high φ with T*=1.4, the morphology varied following the sequence "spheres → cylinders → vesicles" upon increasing n, agreeing well with experimental observations. At low φ with T*=1.4 or at high φ with T*=1.2, the morphology sequence becomes "spheres or spheres and cylinders mixture → cylinders → vesicles → spheres" upon increasing n, which has not been found experimentally. Two morphological phase diagrams depending on n and φ were constructed for T*=1.4 and 1.2, respectively. The rich phase behaviors on varying tail length could provide the feasible routes to fabricate target aggregate morphologies in various applications, especially for the vesicles with tunable thickness of membranes that are crucial in drug and gene delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingxiao Li
- School of Material and Chemical Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan 467036, China; (X.Z.); (K.X.); (J.W.); (Z.L.); (Y.B.)
| | - You-Liang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Physics and Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022, China
| | - Xinhui Zhang
- School of Material and Chemical Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan 467036, China; (X.Z.); (K.X.); (J.W.); (Z.L.); (Y.B.)
| | - Kaidong Xu
- School of Material and Chemical Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan 467036, China; (X.Z.); (K.X.); (J.W.); (Z.L.); (Y.B.)
| | - Jina Wang
- School of Material and Chemical Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan 467036, China; (X.Z.); (K.X.); (J.W.); (Z.L.); (Y.B.)
| | - Zhixin Li
- School of Material and Chemical Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan 467036, China; (X.Z.); (K.X.); (J.W.); (Z.L.); (Y.B.)
| | - Yun Bao
- School of Material and Chemical Engineering, Henan University of Urban Construction, Pingdingshan 467036, China; (X.Z.); (K.X.); (J.W.); (Z.L.); (Y.B.)
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9
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Workineh ZG, Pellicane G, Tsige M. Tuning Solvent Quality Induces Morphological Phase Transitions in Miktoarm Star Polymer Films. Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c00770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Giuseppe Pellicane
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Odontoiatriche e delle Immagini Morfologiche e Funzionali, Università degli Studi di Messina, Via Consolare Valeria 1 (Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Policlinico “G.Martino”), 98125 Messina, Italy
- CNR-IPCF, Viale F. Stagno d’Alcontres, 37-98158 Messina, Italy
- School of Chemistry and Physics, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209 Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Mesfin Tsige
- Department of Polymer Science, University of Akron, Akron, Ohio United States
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10
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Zhao Y, Ma SM, Li B, De Nicola A, Yu NS, Dong B. Micellization of Pluronic P123 in Water/Ethanol/Turpentine Oil Mixed Solvents: Hybrid Particle-Field Molecular Dynamic Simulation. Polymers (Basel) 2019; 11:E1806. [PMID: 31684204 PMCID: PMC6918437 DOI: 10.3390/polym11111806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The hybrid particle-field molecular dynamics simulation method (MD-SCF) was applied to study the self-assembly of Pluronic PEO20-PPO70-PEO20 (P123) in water/ethanol/turpentine oil- mixed solvents. In particular, the micellization process of P123 at low concentration (less than 20%) in water/ethanol/turpentine oil-mixed solvents was investigated. The aggregation number, radius of gyration, and radial density profiles were calculated and compared with experimental data to characterize the structures of the micelles self-assembled from P123 in the mixed solvent. This study confirms that the larger-sized micelles are formed in the presence of ethanol, in addition to the turpentine oil-swollen micelles. Furthermore, the spherical micelles and vesicles were both observed in the self-assembly of P123 in the water/ethanol/turpentine oil-mixed solvent. The results of this work aid the understanding of the influence of ethanol and oil on P123 micellization, which will help with the design of effective copolymer-based formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Zhao
- Institute of Nano-photonics, School of Physics and Materials Engineering, Dalian Minzu University, Dalian 116600, China.
| | - Su-Min Ma
- Institute of Nano-photonics, School of Physics and Materials Engineering, Dalian Minzu University, Dalian 116600, China.
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China.
| | - Bin Li
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519082, China.
| | - Antonio De Nicola
- Department of Organic Materials Science, Yamagata University, 4-3-16 Jonan, Yonezawa, Yamagata-ken 992-8510, Japan.
| | - Nai-Sen Yu
- Institute of Nano-photonics, School of Physics and Materials Engineering, Dalian Minzu University, Dalian 116600, China.
| | - Bin Dong
- Institute of Nano-photonics, School of Physics and Materials Engineering, Dalian Minzu University, Dalian 116600, China.
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11
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Tan H, Li S, Li K, Yu C, Lu Z, Zhou Y. Shape Transformations of Vesicles Self-Assembled from Amphiphilic Hyperbranched Multiarm Copolymers via Simulation. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:6929-6938. [PMID: 30091926 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b02206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The understanding of shape transformations of vesicles is of fundamental importance in biological and clinical sciences. Hyperbranched polymer vesicles (branched polymersomes) are newly emerging polymer vesicles with special structure and property. They have also been regarded as a good model for biomembranes. However, the shape transformations of hyperbranched polymer vesicles have not been studied from either an experimental or theoretical level. Herein, the shape transformations of vesicles self-assembled from amphiphilic hyperbranched multiarm copolymers (HMCs) in response to the interaction parameters between the hydrophobic core and hydrophilic arms and the polymer concentrations are investigated carefully through dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations. In the morphological phase diagram, two types of vesicles are obtained: one type corresponds to vesicles without holes formed at low concentrations including unilamellar vesicles, double-lamellar vesicles, discocyte-shaped vesicles, and tubular vesicles, and the other type corresponds to vesicles with holes formed at high concentrations including stomatocyte-shaped vesicles, toroidal vesicles, genus-3 (G-3) toroidal vesicles with three holes, and genus-4 (G-4) toroidal vesicles with four holes. In addition, both the self-assembly mechanisms and the dynamics for the formation of these vesicles have been systematically studied. The current work will offer theoretical support for fabricating novel vesicles with various shapes from hyperbranched polymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haina Tan
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites , Shanghai Jiao Tong University , 800 Dongchuan Road , Shanghai , China 200240
| | - Shanlong Li
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites , Shanghai Jiao Tong University , 800 Dongchuan Road , Shanghai , China 200240
| | - Ke Li
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites , Shanghai Jiao Tong University , 800 Dongchuan Road , Shanghai , China 200240
| | - Chunyang Yu
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites , Shanghai Jiao Tong University , 800 Dongchuan Road , Shanghai , China 200240
| | - Zhongyuan Lu
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials , Jilin University , Changchun , China 130021
| | - Yongfeng Zhou
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites , Shanghai Jiao Tong University , 800 Dongchuan Road , Shanghai , China 200240
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12
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Li BY, Li YC, Lu ZY. The important role of cosolvent in the amphiphilic diblock copolymer self-assembly process. POLYMER 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2019.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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13
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Bačová P, Glynos E, Anastasiadis SH, Harmandaris V. Nanostructuring Single-Molecule Polymeric Nanoparticles via Macromolecular Architecture. ACS NANO 2019; 13:2439-2449. [PMID: 30742409 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.8b09374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Heterogeneous polymer-based nanoparticles comprise a very promising family of materials for a broad range of applications. Here, we present a detailed study of structural heterogeneities in nanostructured single-molecule nanoparticles in various environments by means of atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. The nanoparticles consist of mikto-arm star copolymers with two types of chemically incompatible arms, namely poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and polystyrene (PS), (PS) n,(PEO) n, where n is the number of arms. The immiscibility between the two components gives rise to intramolecularly nanostructured particles. The nanostructured objects resemble either "Janus-like" or "patchy-like" particles, depending on the number or the length of the arms (or both) as well as the interaction with the surrounding medium. The degree of intramolecular heterogeneity increases with increasing number of arms and with decreasing affinity of star components to the polymer host. We provide a detailed analysis of the internal structure of the star-shaped particles, focusing on the intramolecular packing and the spatial arrangement of the arms. The results of our study can be used to design heterogeneous, internally nanostructured particles with two phases of distinct static properties for challenging specific applications of next-generation materials.
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14
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Bačová P, Foskinis R, Glynos E, Rissanou AN, Anastasiadis SH, Harmandaris V. Effect of macromolecular architecture on the self-assembly behavior of copolymers in a selective polymer host. SOFT MATTER 2018; 14:9562-9570. [PMID: 30349909 DOI: 10.1039/c8sm01421c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
We present a detailed simulation study of the structural and dynamical behavior of star-shaped mikto-arm (polystyrene)8(poly(ethylene oxide))8, (PS)8(PEO)8, copolymers with eight arms of each type, versus that of a linear polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide), PS-b-PEO, diblock, in a selective homopolymer host. Both copolymers are blended at the same weight fraction 33% with an oligomeric PEO host. We use atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to account for the molecular interactions present in the blends and to study quantitatively the dynamical and structural properties of these systems. The presence of the selective oligomeric PEO host leads to the formation of complex self-assembled structures. While cylindrical structures are formed in the case of linear diblock copolymers, mikto-arm star copolymers form percolated interconnected assemblies within the PEO host. The cylindrical objects formed by the linear diblock copolymers exhibit a higher degree of compactness and a weaker temperature dependence than the percolated network formed by their star-shaped analogues. The dynamics is governed primarily by the local structural heterogeneity, i.e., the environment around a segment, which is determined by the interaction between the different components, the macromolecular architecture of the copolymer as well as the associated geometrical constrains. Our data further stress the fact that the structural and dynamical properties in these blends may be controlled/tuned by the macromolecular architecture of the copolymer and/or by adjusting the temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Bačová
- Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics (IACM), Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas (FORTH), GR-70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece
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15
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Li Q, Wang Z, Yin Y, Jiang R, Li B. Self-Assembly of Giant Amphiphiles Based on Polymer-Tethered Nanoparticle in Selective Solvents. Macromolecules 2018. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.8b00189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Qingxiao Li
- School of Physics, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, Nankai University, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Zheng Wang
- School of Physics, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, Nankai University, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Yuhua Yin
- School of Physics, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, Nankai University, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Run Jiang
- School of Physics, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, Nankai University, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Baohui Li
- School of Physics, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of Ministry of Education, Nankai University, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemical Science and Engineering (Tianjin), Tianjin 300071, China
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Guo Y, Di Mare L, Li RKY, Wong JSS. Structure of Amphiphilic Terpolymer Raspberry Vesicles. Polymers (Basel) 2017; 9:E275. [PMID: 30970953 PMCID: PMC6432345 DOI: 10.3390/polym9070275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Terpolymer raspberry vesicles contain domains of different chemical affinities. They are potential candidates as multi-compartment cargo carriers. Their efficacy depends on their stability and load capacity. Using a model star terpolymer system in an aqueous solution, a dissipative particle dynamic (DPD) simulation is employed to investigate how equilibrium aggregate structures are affected by polymer concentration and pairwise interaction energy in a solution. It is shown that a critical mass of polymer is necessary for vesicle formation. The free energy of the equilibrium aggregates are calculated and the results show that the transition from micelles to vesicles is governed by the interactions between the longest solvophobic block and the solvent. In addition, the ability of vesicles to encapsulate solvent is assessed. It is found that reducing the interaction energy favours solvent encapsulation, although solvent molecules can permeate through the vesicle's shell when repulsive interactions among monomers are low. Thus, one can optimize the loading capacity and the release rate of the vesicles by turning pairwise interaction energies of the polymer and the solvent. The ability to predict and control these aspects of the vesicles is an essential step towards designing vesicles for specific purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Guo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW 7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Luca Di Mare
- Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Southwell Thermofluids Laboratory, Oxford OX2 OES, UK.
| | - Robert K Y Li
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Janet S S Wong
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW 7 2AZ, UK.
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17
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Song X, Zhao S, Fang S, Ma Y, Duan M. Mesoscopic Simulations of Adsorption and Association of PEO-PPO-PEO Triblock Copolymers on a Hydrophobic Surface: From Mushroom Hemisphere to Rectangle Brush. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2016; 32:11375-11385. [PMID: 27762563 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b02414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) method is used to investigate the adsorption behavior of PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers at the liquid/solid interface. The effect of molecular architecture on the self-assembled monolayer adsorption of PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers on hydrophobic surfaces is elucidated by the adsorption process, film properties, and adsorption morphologies. The adsorption thicknesses on hydrophobic surfaces and the diffusion coefficient as well as the aggregation number of Pluronic copolymers in aqueous solution observed in our simulations agree well with previous experimental and numerical observations. The radial distribution function revealed that the ability of self-assembly on hydrophobic surfaces is P123 > P84 > L64 > P105 > F127, which increased with the EO ratio of the Pluronic copolymers. Moreover, the shape parameter and the degree of anisotropy increase with increasing molecular weight and mole ratio of PO of the Pluronic copolymers. Depending on the conformation of different Pluronic copolymers, the morphology transition of three regimes on hydrophobic surfaces is present: mushroom or hemisphere, progressively semiellipsoid, and rectangle brush regimes induced by decreasing molecular weight and mole ratio of EO of Pluronic copolymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianyu Song
- Department of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Dazhou Vocational and Technical College , Dazhou, Sichuan 635000, P. R. China
| | - Shuangliang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology , Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Shenwen Fang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University , Chengdu 610500, P. R. China
- Oil & Gas Field Applied Chemistry Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 610500, P. R. China
| | - Yongzhang Ma
- Sichuan Province Academy of Industrial Environmental Monitoring, Chengdu 610500, P. R. China
| | - Ming Duan
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southwest Petroleum University , Chengdu 610500, P. R. China
- Oil & Gas Field Applied Chemistry Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 610500, P. R. China
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18
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Zeng X, Li B, Qiao Q, Zhu L, Lu ZY, Huang X. Elucidating dominant pathways of the nano-particle self-assembly process. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2016; 18:23494-9. [DOI: 10.1039/c6cp01808d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Self-assembly processes play a key role in the fabrication of functional nano-structures with wide application in drug delivery and micro-reactors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangze Zeng
- Department of Chemistry
- The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
- Kowloon
- Hong Kong
| | - Bin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry
- Jilin University
- Changchun
- China
| | - Qin Qiao
- Department of Chemistry
- The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
- Kowloon
- Hong Kong
| | - Lizhe Zhu
- Department of Chemistry
- The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
- Kowloon
- Hong Kong
| | - Zhong-Yuan Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry
- Jilin University
- Changchun
- China
| | - Xuhui Huang
- Department of Chemistry
- The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
- Kowloon
- Hong Kong
- Division of Biomedical Engineering
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19
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Tungala K, Adhikary P, Azmeera V, Kumar K, Ramesh K, Krishnamoorthi S. Dendrimer like star polymer based on β-cyclodextrin with ABC type miktoarms. RSC Adv 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c6ra09660c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The present article reports the synthesis and self aggregation study of a novel dendrimer like star polymer based on β-cyclodextrin (β-CD), in which the primary alcoholic arms of β-CD have been linked to ABC type miktoarm star polymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kranthikumar Tungala
- Department of Chemistry
- Centre of Advanced Studies
- Institute of Science
- Banaras Hindu University
- Varanasi 221005
| | - Pubali Adhikary
- Department of Chemistry
- Centre of Advanced Studies
- Institute of Science
- Banaras Hindu University
- Varanasi 221005
| | - Venkanna Azmeera
- Department of Chemistry
- Centre of Advanced Studies
- Institute of Science
- Banaras Hindu University
- Varanasi 221005
| | - Krishna Kumar
- Department of Applied Science
- Madan Mohan Malaviya University of Technology
- Gorakhpur-273010
- India
| | - K. Ramesh
- School of Biomedical Engineering
- Indian Institute of Technology
- Banaras Hindu University
- Varanasi 221005
- India
| | - S. Krishnamoorthi
- Department of Chemistry
- Centre of Advanced Studies
- Institute of Science
- Banaras Hindu University
- Varanasi 221005
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20
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Tan H, Wang W, Yu C, Zhou Y, Lu Z, Yan D. Dissipative particle dynamics simulation study on self-assembly of amphiphilic hyperbranched multiarm copolymers with different degrees of branching. SOFT MATTER 2015; 11:8460-8470. [PMID: 26364696 DOI: 10.1039/c5sm01495f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Hyperbranched multiarm copolymers (HMCs) have shown great potential to be excellent precursors in self-assembly to form various supramolecular structures in all scales and dimensions in solution. However, theoretical studies on the self-assembly of HMCs, especially the self-assembly dynamics and mechanisms, have been greatly lagging behind the experimental progress. Herein, we investigate the effect of degree of branching (DB) on the self-assembly structures of HMCs by dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulation. Our simulation results demonstrate that the self-assembly morphologies of HMCs can be changed from spherical micelles, wormlike micelles, to vesicles with the increase of DBs, which are qualitatively consistent with the experimental observations. In addition, both the self-assembly mechanisms and the dynamic processes for the formation of these three aggregates have been systematically disclosed through the simulations. These self-assembly details are difficult to be shown by experiments and are very useful to fully understand the self-assembly behaviors of HMCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haina Tan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.
| | - Wei Wang
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, P. R. China.
| | - Chunyang Yu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.
| | - Yongfeng Zhou
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.
| | - Zhongyuan Lu
- Institute of Theoretical Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, P. R. China.
| | - Deyue Yan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, P. R. China.
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