1
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Fujii Y, Ioka H, Minamoto C, Kurisaki I, Tanaka S, Ohta K, Tominaga K. Vibrational frequency fluctuations of poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide) in the vicinity of coil-to-globule transition studied by two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. J Chem Phys 2024; 161:064903. [PMID: 39120037 DOI: 10.1063/5.0218180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide) (PdEA), one of the thermoresponsive polymers, in aqueous solutions has attracted much attention because of its characteristic properties, such as coil-to-globule (CG) transition. We performed two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to understand the hydration dynamics in the vicinity of the CG transition at the molecular level via vibrational frequency fluctuations of the carbonyl stretching modes in the side chains of PdEA. Furthermore, N,N-diethylpropionamide, a repeating monomer unit of PdEA, is also investigated for comparison. From decays of the frequency-frequency time correlation functions (FFTCFs) of the carbonyl stretching modes, we consider that inhomogeneity of the hydration environments originates from various backbone configurations of PdEA. The degree of the inhomogeneity depends on temperature. Hydration water molecules near the carbonyl groups are influenced by the confinements of the polymers. The restricted reorientation of the embedded water, the local torsions of the backbone, and the rearrangement of the whole structure contribute to the slow spectral diffusion. By performing MD simulations, we calculated the FFTCFs and dynamical quantities, such as fluctuations of the dihedral angles of the backbone and the orientation of the hydration water molecules. The simulated FFTCFs match well with the experimental results, indicating that the retarded water reorientations via the excluded volume effect play an important role in the vibrational frequency fluctuations of the carbonyl stretching mode. It is also found the embedded water molecules are influenced by the local torsions of the backbone structure within the time scales of the spectral diffusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Fujii
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, Rokkodai-cho 1-1, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Hikaru Ioka
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, Rokkodai-cho 1-1, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Chihiro Minamoto
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Biotechnology, Niihama National College of Technology, Yakumo-cho 7-1, Niihama, Ehime 792-8580, Japan
| | - Ikuo Kurisaki
- Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University, 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan
| | - Shigenori Tanaka
- Department of Computational Science, Graduate School of System Informatics, Kobe University, Rokkodai-cho 1-1, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Kaoru Ohta
- Molecular Photoscience Research Center, Kobe University, Rokkodai-cho 1-1, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
| | - Keisuke Tominaga
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, Rokkodai-cho 1-1, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
- Molecular Photoscience Research Center, Kobe University, Rokkodai-cho 1-1, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
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2
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Nigro V, Angelini R, Buratti E, Colantonio C, D’Amato R, Dinelli F, Franco S, Limosani F, Montereali RM, Nichelatti E, Piccinini M, Vincenti MA, Ruzicka B. Influence of a Solid Surface on PNIPAM Microgel Films. Gels 2024; 10:473. [PMID: 39057496 PMCID: PMC11276228 DOI: 10.3390/gels10070473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Stimuli-responsive microgels have attracted great interest in recent years as building blocks for fabricating smart surfaces with many technological applications. In particular, PNIPAM microgels are promising candidates for creating thermo-responsive scaffolds to control cell growth and detachment via temperature stimuli. In this framework, understanding the influence of the solid substrate is critical for tailoring microgel coatings to specific applications. The surface modification of the substrate is a winning strategy used to manage microgel-substrate interactions. To control the spreading of microgel particles on a solid surface, glass substrates are coated with a PEI or an APTES layer to improve surface hydrophobicity and add positive charges on the interface. A systematic investigation of PNIPAM microgels spin-coated through a double-step deposition protocol on pristine glass and on functionalised glasses was performed by combining wettability measurements and Atomic Force Microscopy. The greater flattening of microgel particles on less hydrophilic substrates can be explained as a consequence of the reduced shielding of the water-substrate interactions that favors electrostatic interactions between microgels and the substrate. This approach allows the yielding of effective control on microgel coatings that will help to unlock new possibilities for their application in biomedical devices, sensors, or responsive surfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Nigro
- ENEA C.R. Frascati, Nuclear Department, Via Enrico Fermi 45, 00044 Frascati, Italy
- Institute for Complex Systems, National Research Council (ISC-CNR), Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 2, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta Angelini
- Institute for Complex Systems, National Research Council (ISC-CNR), Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 2, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Physics Department, Sapienza University, P.le Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Buratti
- Institute for Complex Systems, National Research Council (ISC-CNR), Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 2, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 46, 14412 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Claudia Colantonio
- Institute for Complex Systems, National Research Council (ISC-CNR), Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 2, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Rosaria D’Amato
- ENEA C.R. Frascati, Nuclear Department, Via Enrico Fermi 45, 00044 Frascati, Italy
| | - Franco Dinelli
- National Institute of Optics (INO-CNR), Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Silvia Franco
- Institute for Complex Systems, National Research Council (ISC-CNR), Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 2, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Physics Department, Sapienza University, P.le Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Limosani
- ENEA C.R. Casaccia, Nuclear Department, Via Anguillarese, 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Enrico Nichelatti
- ENEA C.R. Casaccia, Nuclear Department, Via Anguillarese, 301, 00123 Rome, Italy
| | - Massimo Piccinini
- ENEA C.R. Frascati, Nuclear Department, Via Enrico Fermi 45, 00044 Frascati, Italy
| | | | - Barbara Ruzicka
- Institute for Complex Systems, National Research Council (ISC-CNR), Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 2, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Physics Department, Sapienza University, P.le Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Rome, Italy
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3
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Suryavanshi P, Mahajan S, Banerjee SK, Seth K, Banerjee S. Synthesis and characterization of a pH/temperature-dual responsive hydrogel with promising biocompatibility features for stimuli-responsive 5-FU delivery. J Mater Chem B 2024; 12:5098-5110. [PMID: 38700289 DOI: 10.1039/d4tb00168k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
The tunable properties of stimuli-responsive copolymers or hydrogels enable their application in different fields such as biomedical engineering, tissue engineering, or even drug release. Here we introduce a new PNIPAM-based triblock copolymer material comprising a controlled amount of a novel hydrophobic crosslinker 2,4'-diacryloyloxy benzophenone (DABP) and acrylic acid (AAc) to achieve lower critical solution temperature (LCST) between ambient and body temperatures. The dual stimuli-responsive p(NIPAM-co-DABP-co-AAc) triblock copolymer material and hydrogel were synthesized, and their temperature and pH-responsive behaviors were systematically investigated. The hydrogel exhibited excellent temperature and pH-responsive properties with an LCST of around 30 °C. Moreover, the synthesized copolymer has been demonstrated to be nontoxic both in vitro and in vivo. When the hydrogel was preloaded with the model drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), the designed hydrogel released the drug in a temperature and pH-controlled fashion. It was observed that the prepared hydrogel has the ability to entrap 5-FU, and the loading is more than 85%. In the case of temperature-controlled release, we observed almost complete release of 5-FU at lower temperatures and sustained release behavior at higher temperatures. In addition, the hydrogel matrix was able to retard the release of 5-FU in an acidic environment and selectively release 5-FU in a basic environment. By realizing how the hydrogel properties influence the release of drugs from preloaded hydrogels, it is possible to design new materials with myriad applications in the drug delivery field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Purushottam Suryavanshi
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Guwahati, Changsari 781101, Assam, India.
| | - Shriram Mahajan
- Department of Biotechnology, NIPER-Guwahati, Changsari 781101, Assam, India
| | - Sanjay K Banerjee
- Department of Biotechnology, NIPER-Guwahati, Changsari 781101, Assam, India
| | - Kapileswar Seth
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, NIPER-Guwahati, Changsari 781101, Assam, India.
| | - Subham Banerjee
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER)-Guwahati, Changsari 781101, Assam, India.
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4
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Salar Amoli M, Yang H, Anand R, EzEldeen M, Aktan MK, Braem A, Jacobs R, Bloemen V. Development and characterization of colloidal pNIPAM-methylcellulose microgels with potential application for drug delivery in dentoalveolar tissue engineering strategies. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 262:129684. [PMID: 38307741 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Incorporation of growth factors, signaling molecules and drugs can be vital for the success of tissue engineering in complex structures such as the dentoalveolar region. This has led to the development of a variety of drug release systems. This study aimed to develop pNIPAM-methylcellulose microgels with different synthesis parameters based on a 23 full factorial design of experiments for this application. Microgel properties, including volume phase transition temperature (VPTT), hydrodynamic size, drug loading and release, and cytocompatibility were systematically evaluated. The results demonstrated successful copolymerization and development of the microgels, a hydrodynamic size ranging from ∼200 to ∼500 nm, and VPTT in the range of 34-39 °C. Furthermore, loading of genipin, capable of inducing odontoblastic differentiation, and its sustained release over a week was shown in all formulations. Together, this can serve as a solid basis for the development of tunable drug-delivering pNIPAM-methylcellulose microgels for specific tissue engineering applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Salar Amoli
- Surface and Interface Engineered Materials (SIEM), Campus Group T, KU Leuven, Andreas Vesaliusstraat 13, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; OMFS IMPATH Research Group, Department of Imaging and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 7, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Research Group, Department of Materials Engineering (MTM), KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44 - box 2450, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Huimin Yang
- Surface and Interface Engineered Materials (SIEM), Campus Group T, KU Leuven, Andreas Vesaliusstraat 13, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Resmi Anand
- Surface and Interface Engineered Materials (SIEM), Campus Group T, KU Leuven, Andreas Vesaliusstraat 13, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mostafa EzEldeen
- OMFS IMPATH Research Group, Department of Imaging and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 7, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Department of Oral Health Sciences, KU Leuven and Paediatric Dentistry and Special Dental Care, University Hospitals Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 33, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Merve Kübra Aktan
- Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Research Group, Department of Materials Engineering (MTM), KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44 - box 2450, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Annabel Braem
- Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Research Group, Department of Materials Engineering (MTM), KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44 - box 2450, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Reinhilde Jacobs
- OMFS IMPATH Research Group, Department of Imaging and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, Kapucijnenvoer 7, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Department of Dental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Veerle Bloemen
- Surface and Interface Engineered Materials (SIEM), Campus Group T, KU Leuven, Andreas Vesaliusstraat 13, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering Research Group, Department of Materials Engineering (MTM), KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44 - box 2450, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; Prometheus, Division of Skeletal Tissue Engineering Leuven, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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5
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Fillaudeau A, Cuenot S, Makshakova O, Traboni S, Sinquin C, Hennetier M, Bedini E, Perez S, Colliec-Jouault S, Zykwinska A. Glycosaminoglycan-mimetic infernan grafted with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide): Toward a thermosensitive polysaccharide. Carbohydr Polym 2024; 326:121638. [PMID: 38142103 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2023.121638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/25/2023]
Abstract
Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are essential constituents of the cell surface and extracellular matrix, where they are involved in several cellular processes through their interactions with various proteins. For successful tissue regeneration, developing an appropriate matrix supporting biological activities of cells in a similar manner than GAGs remains still challenging. In this context, this study aims to design a thermosensitive polysaccharide that could further be used as hydrogel for tissue engineering applications. For this purpose, infernan, a marine bacterial exopolysaccharide (EPS) endowed with GAG-mimetic properties was grafted with a thermosensitive polymer, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM). Eight grafted polysaccharides were obtained by varying EPS/pNIPAM molar ratio and the molecular weight of pNIPAM. Their physicochemical characteristics and their thermosensitive properties were determined using a multi-technique, experimental approach. In parallel, molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations were applied at two different scales to elucidate, respectively, the molecular conformation of grafted infernan chain and their ability to form an infinite network undergoing a sol-gel transition near the percolation, a necessary condition in hydrogel formation. It comes out from this study that thermosensitive infernan was successfully developed and its potential use in tissue regeneration as a hydrogel scaffold will further be assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnaud Fillaudeau
- Ifremer, MASAE Microbiologie Aliment Santé Environnement, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Stéphane Cuenot
- Nantes Université, CNRS, Institut des Matériaux Jean Rouxel, IMN, Nantes, France.
| | - Olga Makshakova
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, FRC Kazan Scientific Center of RAS, Lobachevsky Str., 2/31, 420111 Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Serena Traboni
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, via Cintia 4, I-80126 Napoli, Italy
| | - Corinne Sinquin
- Ifremer, MASAE Microbiologie Aliment Santé Environnement, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Marie Hennetier
- Plateforme Toulouse Field-Flow Fractionation Center, TFFFC, Ecole d'Ingénieurs de Purpan, Toulouse, France
| | - Emiliano Bedini
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Complesso Universitario Monte S. Angelo, via Cintia 4, I-80126 Napoli, Italy
| | - Serge Perez
- Centre de Recherches sur les Macromolécules Végétales, Université de Grenoble Alpes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Grenoble, France
| | | | - Agata Zykwinska
- Ifremer, MASAE Microbiologie Aliment Santé Environnement, F-44000 Nantes, France.
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6
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Wu J, Cui Z, Yu Y, Yue B, Hu J, Qu J, Li J, Tian D, Cai Y. Multifunctional Solar Evaporator with Adjustable Island Structure Improves Performance and Salt Discharge Capacity of Desalination. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2305523. [PMID: 37875400 PMCID: PMC10724399 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) is the main method to get fresh water from seawater or wastewater. The balance between evaporation rate and salt resistance is still a major challenge for ISSG. Herein, a wood aerogel island solar evaporator (WAISE) with tunable surface structure and wettability by synthesizing poly(n-isopropylacrylamide)-modified multi-walled carbon nanotube photothermal layers. Compared to dense surface structure evaporators, interfacial moisture transport, thermal localization, and surface water vapor diffusion of WAISE are greatly promoted, and the evaporation rate of WAISE increased by 87.64%. WAISE allows for record performance of 200 h continuous operation in 20% NaCl solution without salt accumulation. In addition, the photo-thermal-electric device is developed based on WAISE with continuous water purification, power generation, and irrigation functions. This work provides a new direction for the development of multifunctional water purification systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianfei Wu
- Co‐Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Materials Science and EngineeringNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjing210037P. R. China
| | - Ziwei Cui
- Co‐Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Materials Science and EngineeringNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjing210037P. R. China
| | - Yang Yu
- Co‐Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Materials Science and EngineeringNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjing210037P. R. China
| | - Bo Yue
- Co‐Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Materials Science and EngineeringNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjing210037P. R. China
- School of Chemical and Pharmaceutical EngineeringQilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences)Jinan250353P. R. China
| | - Jundie Hu
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringSuzhou University of Science and TechnologySuzhou215009P. R. China
| | - Jiafu Qu
- School of Materials Science and EngineeringSuzhou University of Science and TechnologySuzhou215009P. R. China
| | - Jianzhang Li
- Co‐Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Materials Science and EngineeringNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjing210037P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Wood Material Science and Application (Beijing Forestry University)Ministry of EducationBeijing100083P. R. China
| | - Dan Tian
- Co‐Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Materials Science and EngineeringNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjing210037P. R. China
| | - Yahui Cai
- Co‐Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Materials Science and EngineeringNanjing Forestry UniversityNanjing210037P. R. China
- Dehua Tubaobao New Decoration Material Co., LtdHuzhou313200P. R. China
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7
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Wang W, Ma H, Li Y, Yi Z, Li Z, Yan Y. Salt-Induced Coil-Globule Transition of Sulfonate-Modified HPAM is Affected by the Branched Chain Length. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:14969-14976. [PMID: 37812757 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Polymer flooding is a cheap and efficient method for tertiary oil recovery. However, the failure of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) molecules reduces the oil displacement efficiency under high salinity conditions. In this study, we modified HPAM molecules by sulfonic acid groups with different branched chain lengths, and we characterized the structures of these molecules in different salinity solutions through all-atoms molecular dynamics simulation. Compared with the acrylic group, the sulfonate group has excellent salt resistance because of its weak ability to attract cations. When using different lengths of branched linked branch sulfonates, increasing the length of the branched chain can improve the movement ability of sulfonates, so as to play a better salt resistance effect. However, excessive growth of branched chains can cause their association with each other and can lead to polymer folding. Therefore, we believe that the branched chain length of sulfonate should be moderately increased. These results are expected to provide theoretical support for the design and use of salt-resistant polymers..
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiming Wang
- School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
| | - Haoyu Ma
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
| | - Yajing Li
- Department of Fine Chemical, Sinopec, Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Beijing 100013, China
| | - Zhuo Yi
- Department of Fine Chemical, Sinopec, Beijing Research Institute of Chemical Industry, Beijing 100013, China
| | - Zhen Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
| | - Youguo Yan
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao 266580, China
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8
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Neal CAP, Kresge GV, Quan MC, León V, Chibambo NO, Calabrese MA. Effect of nanoparticle loading and magnetic field application on the thermodynamic, optical, and rheological behavior of thermoresponsive polymer solutions. JOURNAL OF VINYL & ADDITIVE TECHNOLOGY 2023; 29:795-812. [PMID: 37546292 PMCID: PMC10403256 DOI: 10.1002/vnl.21968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Although processing via external stimuli is a promising technique to tune the structure and properties of polymeric materials, the impact of magnetic fields on phase transitions in thermoresponsive polymer solutions is not well-understood. As nanoparticle (NP) addition is also known to impact these thermodynamic and optical properties, synergistic effects from combining magnetic fields with NP incorporation provide a novel route for tuning material properties. Here, the thermodynamic, optical, and rheological properties of aqueous poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) solutions are examined in the presence of hydrophilic silica NPs and magnetic fields, individually and jointly, via Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), magneto-turbidimetry, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and magneto-rheology. While NPs and magnetic fields both reduce the phase separation energy barrier and lower optical transition temperatures by altering hydrogen bonding (H-bonding), infrared spectra demonstrate that the mechanism by which these changes occur is distinct. Magnetic fields primarily alter solvent polarization while NPs provide PNIPAM-NP H-bonding sites. Combining NP addition with field application uniquely alters the solution environment and results in field-dependent rheological behavior that is unseen in polymer-only solutions. These investigations provide fundamental understanding on the interplay of magnetic fields and NP addition on PNIPAM thermoresponsivity which can be harnessed for increasingly complex stimuli-responsive materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A. P. Neal
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Grace V. Kresge
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Michelle C. Quan
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Valeria León
- Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Texas, United States of America
| | - Nondumiso O. Chibambo
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Michelle A. Calabrese
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minnesota, United States of America
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9
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Terada E, Isono T, Satoh T, Yamamoto T, Kakuchi T, Sato S. All-Atom Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Temperature Response of Poly(glycidyl ether)s with Oligooxyethylene Side Chains Terminated with Alkyl Groups. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 13:nano13101628. [PMID: 37242043 DOI: 10.3390/nano13101628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Recently, experimental investigations of a class of temperature-responsive polymers tethered to oligooxyethylene side chains terminated with alkyl groups have been conducted. In this study, aqueous solutions of poly(glycidyl ether)s (PGE) with varying numbers of oxyethylene units, poly(methyl(oligooxyethylene)n glycidyl ether) (poly(Me(EO)nGE)), and poly(ethyl(oligooxyethylene)n glycidyl ether) (poly(Et(EO)nGE) (n = 0, 1, and 2) were investigated by all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, focusing on the thermal responses of their chain extensions, the recombination of intrapolymer and polymer-water hydrogen bonds, and water-solvation shells around the alkyl groups. No clear relationship was established between the phase-transition temperature and the polymer-chain extensions unlike the case for the coil-globule transition of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide). However, the temperature response of the first water-solvation shell around the alkyl group exhibited a notable correlation with the phase-transition temperature. In addition, the temperature at which the hydrophobic hydration shell strength around the terminal alkyl group equals the bulk water density (TCRP) was slightly lower than the cloud point temperature (TCLP) for the methyl-terminated poly(Me(EO)nGE) and slightly higher for the ethyl-terminated poly(Et(EO)nGE). It was concluded that the polymer-chain fluctuation affects the relationship between TCRP and TCLP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erika Terada
- Graduate School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
| | - Takuya Isono
- Graduate School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
- Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
| | - Toshifumi Satoh
- Graduate School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
- Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
| | - Takuya Yamamoto
- Graduate School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
- Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
| | - Toyoji Kakuchi
- Research Center for Polymer Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Changchun University of Science and Technology, Weixing Road 7989, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Shinichiro Sato
- Graduate School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
- Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-8628, Japan
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10
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Ruiz-Franco J, Rivas-Barbosa R, Lara-Peña MA, Villanueva-Valencia JR, Licea-Claverie A, Zaccarelli E, Laurati M. Concentration and temperature dependent interactions and state diagram of dispersions of copolymer microgels. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:3614-3628. [PMID: 37161724 DOI: 10.1039/d3sm00120b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
We investigate by means of small angle neutron scattering experiments and numerical simulations the interactions and inter-particle arrangements of concentrated dispersions of copolymer poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate) (PNIPAM-PEGMA) microgels across the volume phase transition (VPT). The scattering data of moderately concentrated dispersions are accurately modeled at all temperatures by using a star polymer form factor and static structure factors calculated from the effective potential obtained from simulations. Interestingly, for temperatures below the VPT temperature (VPTT), the radius of gyration and blob size of the particles significantly decrease with increasing the effective packing fraction in the non-overlapping regime. This is attributed to the presence of charges in the system associated with the use of an ionic initiator in the synthesis. Simulations using the experimentally corroborated interaction potential are used to explore the state diagram in a wide range of effective packing fractions. Below and slightly above the VPTT, the system undergoes an arrest transition mainly driven by the soft repulsion between the particles. Only well above the VPTT the system is found to phase separate before arresting. Our results highlight the versatility and potential of copolymer PNIPAM-PEGMA microgels to explore different kinds of arrested states balancing attraction and repulsion by changing temperature and packing fraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Ruiz-Franco
- CNR Institute of Complex Systems, Uos Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185, Roma, Italy.
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
- Physical Chemistry and Soft Matter, Wageningen University & Research, Stippeneng 4, 6708WE Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Rodrigo Rivas-Barbosa
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
- División de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad de Guanajuato, Lomas del Bosque 103, 37150 León, Mexico
| | - Mayra A Lara-Peña
- División de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad de Guanajuato, Lomas del Bosque 103, 37150 León, Mexico
- Dipartimento di Chimica and CSGI, Università di Firenze, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
| | | | - Angel Licea-Claverie
- Centro de Graduados e Investigación en Química del Tecnológico Nacional de México/Instituto Tecnológico de Tijuana, 22500 Tijuana, Mexico
| | - Emanuela Zaccarelli
- CNR Institute of Complex Systems, Uos Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185, Roma, Italy.
- Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Marco Laurati
- Dipartimento di Chimica and CSGI, Università di Firenze, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy.
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11
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Chuang YC, Wang Y, Wang C. Physical Gels of Atactic Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) in Water: Rheological Properties and As-Derived Spinodal Temperature. Gels 2023; 9:gels9040288. [PMID: 37102900 PMCID: PMC10137507 DOI: 10.3390/gels9040288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Aqueous solutions of atactic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (a-PNIPAM) undergo complex phase transitions at 20–33 °C. In this temperature range, the a-PNIPAM solution exhibits a phase behavior of lower critical solution temperature at the binodal temperature (Tb) and physical gel formation at the gel temperature (Tgel). On slow heating of the one-phase solution containing linear a-PNIPAM chains, branched chains are gradually developed to proceed with the physical gelation before phase separation considering that Tgel < Tb. Thus, the phase separation temperature determined from the conventional approaches, either by turbidity to derive the Tb or by scattering to derive the spindal temperature (Ts) from the Ornstein–Zernike analysis, is strictly the transition temperature associated with the a-PNIPAM hydrogel (or highly branched chains newly developed at elevated temperatures), rather than the initial a-PNIPAM solution prepared. Herein, the spinodal temperatures of a-PNIPAM hydrogels (Ts,gel) of various concentrations were determined from rheological measurements at a heating rate of 0.2 °C/min. Analyses of the temperature dependence of loss modulus G″ and storage modulus G′ give rise to the Ts,gel, based on the Fredrickson–Larson–Ajji–Choplin mean field theory. In addition, the specific temperature (T1) above which the one-phase solution starts to dramatically form the aggregated structure (e.g., branched chains) was also derived from the onset temperature of G′ increase; this is because as solution temperature approaches the spinodal point, the concentration fluctuations become significant, which is manifested with the elastic response to enhance G′ at T > T1. Depending on the solution concentration, the measured Ts,gel is approximately 5–10 °C higher than the derived T1. On the other hand, Ts,gel is independent of solution concentration to be constant at 32.8 °C. A phase diagram of the a-PNIPAM/H2O mixture is thoroughly constructed together with the previous data of Tgel and Tb.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Chen Chuang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Chi Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
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12
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Ruzzi V, Buzzaccaro S, Piazza R. Thermal Lens Measurements of Thermal Expansivity in Thermosensitive Polymer Solutions. Polymers (Basel) 2023; 15:polym15051283. [PMID: 36904524 PMCID: PMC10007145 DOI: 10.3390/polym15051283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The weak absorption of a laser beam generates in a fluid an inhomogeneous refractive index profile acting as a negative lens. This self-effect on beam propagation, known as Thermal Lensing (TL), is extensively exploited in sensitive spectroscopic techniques, and in several all-optical methods for the assessment of thermo-optical properties of simple and complex fluids. Using the Lorentz-Lorenz equation, we show that the TL signal is directly proportional to the sample thermal expansivity α, a feature allowing minute density changes to be detected with high sensitivity in a tiny sample volume, using a simple optical scheme. We took advantage of this key result to investigate the compaction of PniPAM microgels occurring around their volume phase transition temperature, and the temperature-driven formation of poloxamer micelles. For both these different kinds of structural transitions, we observed a significant peak in the solute contribution to α, indicating a decrease in the overall solution density-rather counterintuitive evidence that can nevertheless be attributed to the dehydration of the polymer chains. Finally, we compare the novel method we propose with other techniques currently used to obtain specific volume changes.
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13
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Kang J, Li H. Multiphysics modeling for pressure-thermal sensitive hydrogels. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2023; 25:2882-2889. [PMID: 36629076 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp04868j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Some smart hydrogels, like poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPA) hydrogels, are sensitive to both stimulus hydrostatic pressure and temperature. The model for thermal-sensitive only hydrogels has been well established in the past two decades. In this work, by combining Flory's mean-field theory and Poisson-Nernst-Planck nonlinear equations, we develop a multiphysics model coupling chemo-electro-thermal-mechanical fields which can quantitatively calculate both hydrostatic pressure and thermal sensitivity of hydrogels in an electrolyte bathing solution. Considering PNIPA hydrogels as an example, the proposed model is validated by comparing the numerical results with experimental results reported in the literature. We investigate the influences of initial fixed-charge density, temperature, hydrostatic pressure, and bathing solution concentration on the volume expansion ratio of the hydrogels. Moreover, the concentration of mobile ions and distribution of electric potential within the hydrogel body and bathing solution are quantitatively predicted. The model and results obtained in this paper can be used to better understand the response of smart hydrogels sensitive to both hydrostatic pressure and temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingtian Kang
- Key Laboratory of Structural Dynamics of Liaoning Province, College of Sciences, Northeastern University, Shenyang, 110819, P. R. China. .,School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Republic of Singapore.
| | - Hua Li
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798, Republic of Singapore.
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14
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Ercole F, Kim CJ, Dao NV, Tse WKL, Whittaker MR, Caruso F, Quinn JF. Synthesis of Thermoresponsive, Catechol-Rich Poly(ethylene glycol) Brush Polymers for Attenuating Cellular Oxidative Stress. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:387-399. [PMID: 36469858 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.2c01211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Herein, we report a platform to integrate customizable quantities of catechol units into polymers by reacting caffeic acid carbonic anhydride with polymers having pendant amine groups. Brush poly(ethylene glycol)-caffeamide (PEG-CAF) copolymers based on oligo(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate (OEGMA500) were obtained with a catechol content of approximately 30, 40, and 50 mol % (vs OEGMA content). Owing to the hydrophobicity of the introduced CAF groups, the catechol copolymers exhibited cloud points in the range of 23-46 °C and were used to fabricate thermoresponsive FeIII metal-phenolic network capsules. Polymers with the highest CAF content (50 mol %) proved most effective for attenuating reactive oxygen species levels in vitro, in co-cultured fibroblasts, and breast cancer cells, even in the presence of an exogenous oxidant source. The reported approach to synthesize customizable catechol materials could be generalized to other amine-functional polymers, with potential biomedical applications such as adhesives or stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Ercole
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics Theme, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Chan-Jin Kim
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Nam V Dao
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics Theme, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,Department of Physical Chemistry and Physics, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, Hanoi 10000, Vietnam
| | - Warren K L Tse
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
| | - Michael R Whittaker
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics Theme, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Frank Caruso
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - John F Quinn
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics Theme, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia
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15
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Micciulla S, Gutfreund P, Kanduč M, Chiappisi L. Pressure-Induced Phase Transitions of Nonionic Polymer Brushes. Macromolecules 2023. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Micciulla
- Institut Max von Laue - Paul Langevin, 71 avenue des Martyrs, 38042Grenoble, France
| | - Philipp Gutfreund
- Institut Max von Laue - Paul Langevin, 71 avenue des Martyrs, 38042Grenoble, France
| | - Matej Kanduč
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Leonardo Chiappisi
- Institut Max von Laue - Paul Langevin, 71 avenue des Martyrs, 38042Grenoble, France
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16
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Neal CAP, León V, Quan MC, Chibambo NO, Calabrese MA. Tuning the thermodynamic, optical, and rheological properties of thermoresponsive polymer solutions via silica nanoparticle shape and concentration. J Colloid Interface Sci 2023; 629:878-895. [PMID: 36202031 PMCID: PMC10593120 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2022.08.139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS The shape and quantity of hydrophilic silica nanoparticles (NPs) can be used to tune the microstructure, rheology, and stability of phase-separating polymer solutions. In thermoresponsive polymer systems, silica nanospheres are well-studied whereas anisotropic NPs have little literature precedent. Here, we hypothesize that NP shape and concentration lower the onset of rheological and turbidimetric transitions of aqueous poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) solutions. EXPERIMENTS Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), turbidimetry, and oscillatory rheology are utilized to examine interactions between NPs, PNIPAM, and water and to track changes in phase separation and rheological properties due to NP concentration and shape. FINDINGS NP addition reduces phase separation enthalpy due to PNIPAM-NP hydrogen bonding interactions, the degree to which depends on polymer content. While NP addition minorly impacts thermodynamic and optical properties, rheological transitions and associated rheological properties are dramatically altered with increasing temperature, and depend on NP quantity, shape, and polymer molecular weight. Thus NP content and shape can be used to finely tune transition temperatures and mechanical properties for applications in stimuli-responsive materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A P Neal
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
| | - Valeria León
- Mechanical Engineering Department, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX 78539, United States
| | - Michelle C Quan
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
| | - Nondumiso O Chibambo
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States
| | - Michelle A Calabrese
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN 55455, United States.
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17
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Dahanayake R, Dormidontova EE. Molecular Structure and Co-solvent Distribution in PPO–PEO and Pluronic Micelles. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rasika Dahanayake
- Polymer Program, Institute of Materials Science and Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut06269, United States
| | - Elena E. Dormidontova
- Polymer Program, Institute of Materials Science and Department of Physics, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut06269, United States
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18
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Cheng N, Zhang Y, Wu Y, Li B, Wang H, Chen S, Zhao P, Cui J, Shen X, Zhu X, Zheng Y. Hydrogel platform capable of molecularly resolved pulling on cells for mechanotransduction. Mater Today Bio 2022; 17:100476. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2022.100476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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19
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Nachaki EO, Leonik FM, Kuroda DG. Effect of the N-Alkyl Side Chain on the Amide-Water Interactions. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:8290-8299. [PMID: 36219826 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c04988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Amide-water interactions influence the structure and functions of amide-based systems, such as proteins and homopolymers. In particular, the N-alkylation of the amide unit appears to play a critical role in defining the interactions of the amide group. Previous studies have linked the thermal behavior of amide-based polymers to the nature of their N-alkyl side chain. However, the connection between the chemical structure of the N-alkyl and the hydration of the amide remains elusive. In this study, the solvation structure and dynamics of amides, having differing N-alkyl groups, are investigated using a combination of linear and nonlinear infrared spectroscopies and computational methods. Interestingly, the dynamics of the amide local environment do not slow down as the N-alkyl side chain becomes bulkier, but rather speeds up. Computational calculations confirm the hydration dynamics and assign the effect to smaller amplitude and faster rotations of the bulkier group. It is also observed experimentally that the hydrogen-bond making and breaking between water and the amide carbonyl do not directly relate to the size of the N-alkyl side chain. The bulkier N-isopropyl substituent presents significantly slower chemical exchange dynamics than smaller chains (ethyl and methyl), but the two small groups do not present a major difference. The hydrogen-bond making and breaking disparities and similarities among groups are well modeled by the theory demonstrating that the N-alkyl group affects the amide hydration structure and dynamics via a steric effect. In summary, the results presented here show that the size of the N-substituted alkyl group significantly influences the hydration dynamics of amides and stress the importance of considering this effect on much larger systems, such as polymers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernest O Nachaki
- Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana70803, United States
| | - Fedra M Leonik
- Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana70803, United States
| | - Daniel G Kuroda
- Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana70803, United States
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20
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Frequency-Dependent Ultrasonic Stimulation of Poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide) Microgels in Water. Gels 2022; 8:gels8100628. [PMID: 36286129 PMCID: PMC9601561 DOI: 10.3390/gels8100628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
As a novel stimulus, we use high-frequency ultrasonic waves to provide the required energy for breaking hydrogen bonds between Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and water molecules while the solution temperature is maintained below the volume phase transition temperature (VPTT = 32 °C). Ultrasonic waves propagate through the solution and their energy will be absorbed due to the liquid viscosity. The absorbed energy partially leads to the generation of a streaming flow and the rest will be spent to break the hydrogen bonds. Therefore, the microgels collapse and become insoluble in water and agglomerate, resulting in solution turbidity. We use turbidity to quantify the ultrasound energy absorption and show that the acousto-response of PNIPAM microgels is a temporal phenomenon that depends on the duration of the actuation. Increasing the solution concentration leads to a faster turbidity evolution. Furthermore, an increase in ultrasound frequency leads to an increase in the breakage of more hydrogen bonds within a certain time and thus faster turbidity evolution. This is due to the increase in ultrasound energy absorption by liquids at higher frequencies.
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21
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Liu J, Guo H, Gao Q, Li H, An Z, Zhang W. Coil–Globule Transition of a Water-Soluble Polymer. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.2c01039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jianyu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Huazhang Guo
- Institute of Nanochemistry and Nanobiology, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Qingjie Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Hongbin Li
- Department of Chemistry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Zesheng An
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Wenke Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
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22
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Roget SA, Carter-Fenk KA, Fayer MD. Water Dynamics in Aqueous Poly- N-Isopropylacrylamide Below and Through the Lower Critical Solution Temperature. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:7066-7075. [PMID: 36067498 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c05506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) is a thermo-responsive polymer that exhibits a reversible structural change from extended chains to aggregates in aqueous solution above its lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Using polarization-selective IR pump-probe spectroscopy, the water orientational dynamics in PNIPAM from below to above the LCST were examined and compared to those of its monomer solution, N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), polyacrylamide, and an acrylamide monomer solution, which are not thermo-responsive. The OD stretch of dilute HOD in H2O is used as a vibrational probe of water orientational dynamics. Below the LCST of the polymer, NIPAM and PNIPAM solutions exhibited identical water dynamics that were significantly different from those of bulk water, containing both faster and slower components due to solute-water interactions. Therefore, there is no difference in the nature of water interactions with a single NIPAM moiety and a long polymer chain. For all systems, including PNIPAM below and above the LCST, the orientational dynamics were modeled with a bulk water component and a polymer/monomer-associated component based on previous experimental and computational findings. Above the LCST, PNIPAM showed fast water orientational relaxation but much slower long-time dynamics compared to those of NIPAM. The slow component in PNIPAM, which was too slow to be accurately measured due to the limited OD vibrational lifetime, is ascribed to water confined in small voids (<2 nm in diameter) of PNIPAM globules. These results highlight important details about thermo-responsive polymers and the dynamics of their solvation water as they undergo a significant structural change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean A Roget
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | | | - Michael D Fayer
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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23
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Swelling of Thermo-Responsive Gels in Aqueous Solutions of Salts: A Predictive Model. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27165177. [PMID: 36014417 PMCID: PMC9415754 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27165177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The equilibrium degree of swelling of thermo-responsive (TR) gels is strongly affected by the presence of ions in an aqueous solution. This phenomenon plays an important role in (i) the synthesis of multi-stimuli-responsive gels for soft robotics, where extraordinary strength and toughness are reached by soaking of a gel in solutions of multivalent ions, and (ii) the preparation of hybrid gels with interpenetrating networks formed by covalently cross-linked synthetic chains and ionically cross-linked biopolymer chains. A model is developed for equilibrium swelling of a TR gel in aqueous solutions of salts at various temperatures T below and above the critical temperature at which collapse of the gel occurs. An advantage of the model is that it involves a a small (compared with conventional relations) number of material constants and allows the critical temperature to be determined explicitly. Its ability (i) to describe equilibrium swelling diagrams on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) gels in aqueous solutions of mono- and multivalent salts and (ii) to predict the influence of volume fraction of salt on the critical temperature is confirmed by comparison of observations with results of numerical simulation.
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24
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Equilibrium Swelling of Thermo-Responsive Gels in Mixtures of Solvents. CHEMISTRY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/chemistry4030049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Thermo-responsive (TR) gels of the LCST (lower critical solution temperature) type swell in water at temperatures below their volume phase transition temperature Tc and collapse above the critical temperature. When water is partially replaced with an organic liquid, these materials demonstrate three different types of equilibrium solvent uptake diagrams at temperatures below, above, in the close vicinity of Tc. A model is developed for equilibrium swelling of TR gels in binary mixtures of solvents. It takes into account three types of phase transitions in TR gels driven by (i) aggregation of hydrophobic side groups into clusters from which solvent molecules are expelled, (ii) replacement of water with cosolvent molecules in cage-like structures surrounding these groups, and (iii) replacement of water with cosolvent as the main element of hydration shells around backbone chains. The model involves a relatively small number of material constants that are found by matching observations on covalently cross-linked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) macroscopic gels and microgels. Good agreement is demonstrated between the experimental data and results of numerical analysis. Classification is provided of the phase transition points on equilibrium swelling diagrams.
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25
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Drozdov A.D, Christiansen JD. Reentrant-Convex Swelling of Thermoresponsive Gels in Mixtures of Solvents. Ind Eng Chem Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.2c01182] [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)
- A .D. Drozdov
- Department of Materials and Production, Aalborg University, Fibigerstraede 16, Aalborg 9220, Denmark
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26
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Synthesis and application of a temperature sensitive poly(N-vinylcaprolactam-co-N,N-diethyl acrylamide) for low-temperature rheology control of water-based drilling fluid. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2022.128855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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27
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Thananukul K, Kaewsaneha C, Opaprakasit P, Zine N, Elaissari A. Biodegradable porous micro/nanoparticles with thermoresponsive gatekeepers for effective loading and precise delivery of active compounds at the body temperature. Sci Rep 2022; 12:10906. [PMID: 35764674 PMCID: PMC9240026 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15069-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Stimuli-responsive controlled delivery systems are of interest for preventing premature leakages and ensuring precise releases of active compounds at target sites. In this study, porous biodegradable micro/nanoparticles embedded with thermoresponsive gatekeepers are designed and developed based on Eudragit RS100 (PNIPAM@RS100) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) via a double emulsion solvent evaporation technique. The effect of initiator types on the polymerization of NIPAM monomer/methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBA) crosslinker was investigated at 60 °C for thermal initiators and ambient temperature for redox initiators. The crosslinked PNIPAM plays a key role as thermal-triggered gatekeepers with high loading efficiency and precise release of a model active compound, Nile Blue A (NB). Below the volume phase transition temperature (TVPT), the gatekeepers possess a swollen conformation to block the pores and store NB within the cavities. Above its TVPT, the chains rearrange, allowing gate opening and a rapid and constant release rate of the compound until completion. A precise “on–off” switchable release efficiency of PNIPAM@RS100 was demonstrated by changing the temperatures to 4 and 40 °C. The materials are a promising candidate for controlled drug delivery systems with a precise and easy triggering mechanism at the body temperature for effective treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamonchanok Thananukul
- School of Bio-Chemical Engineering and Technology, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology (SIIT), Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, 12121, Thailand.,Univ Lyon, University Claude Bernard Lyon-1, CNRS, ISA-UMR 5280, 69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Chariya Kaewsaneha
- School of Bio-Chemical Engineering and Technology, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology (SIIT), Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, 12121, Thailand
| | - Pakorn Opaprakasit
- School of Bio-Chemical Engineering and Technology, Sirindhorn International Institute of Technology (SIIT), Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, 12121, Thailand.
| | - Nadia Zine
- Univ Lyon, University Claude Bernard Lyon-1, CNRS, ISA-UMR 5280, 69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Abdelhamid Elaissari
- Univ Lyon, University Claude Bernard Lyon-1, CNRS, ISA-UMR 5280, 69622, Villeurbanne, France.
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28
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Friesen S, Kakorin S, Hellweg T. Modified Flory–Rehner Theory Describes Thermotropic Swelling Transition of Smart Copolymer Microgels. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14101999. [PMID: 35631881 PMCID: PMC9143634 DOI: 10.3390/polym14101999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present article, we use an improved Flory–Rehner theory to describe the swelling behavior of copolymer microgels, where the interaction parameter is modeled by a Hill-like equation for a cooperative thermotropic transition. This description leads to very good fits of the swelling curves of the copolymer microgels at different comonomer contents (30 mol%, 50 mol% and 70 mol%) obtained by photon correlation spectroscopy. Fixed parameters, which are universally applicable for the respective monomers given in our previous work, are used to fit the swelling curves. The analysis of the swelling curves yields physically reasonable and meaningful results for the remaining adjustable parameters. The comonomer content of the statistical copolymer microgels poly(NNPAM-co-NIPAM), poly(NIPAM-co-NIPMAM) and poly(NIPMAM-co-NNPAM) is determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and is in agreement with the nominal comonomer feed used in the synthesis. To investigate the volume phase transition at a molecular level, swelling curves are also measured by Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy. The obtained swelling curves are also fitted using the Hill-like model. The fits provide physically reasonable parameters too, consistent with the results from photon correlation spectroscopy.
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29
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Tavagnacco L, Zaccarelli E, Chiessi E. Modeling Solution Behavior of Poly( N-isopropylacrylamide): A Comparison between Water Models. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:3778-3788. [PMID: 35491838 PMCID: PMC9150113 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c00637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Water is known to
play a fundamental role in determining the structure
and functionality of macromolecules. The same crucial contribution
is also found in the in silico description of polymer aqueous solutions.
In this work, we exploit the widely investigated synthetic polymer
poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) to understand
the effect of the adopted water model on its solution behavior and
to refine the computational setup. By means of atomistic molecular
dynamics simulations, we perform a comparative study of PNIPAM aqueous
solution using two advanced water models: TIP4P/2005 and TIP4P/Ice.
The conformation and hydration features of an atactic 30-mer at infinite
dilution are probed at a range of temperature and pressure suitable
to detect the coil-to-globule transition and to map the P–T
phase diagram. Although both water models can reproduce the temperature-induced
coil-to-globule transition at atmospheric pressure and the polymer
hydration enhancement that occurs with increasing pressure, the PNIPAM–TIP4P/Ice
solution shows better agreement with experimental findings. This result
can be attributed to a stronger interaction of TIP4P/Ice water with
both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups of PNIPAM, as well as to a
less favorable contribution of the solvent entropy to the coil-to-globule
transition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Tavagnacco
- CNR-ISC and Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A, Moro 2, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Emanuela Zaccarelli
- CNR-ISC and Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A, Moro 2, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Ester Chiessi
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica I, Rome 00133, Italy
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30
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Rasouli S, Hashemianzadeh SM, Moghbeli MR. Role of physicochemical characteristics of poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide) on the polymer thermal responsivity and interfacial properties in aqueous solution: All-atom simulation study. J Mol Graph Model 2022; 112:108140. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2022.108140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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31
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Bharadwaj S, Niebuur BJ, Nothdurft K, Richtering W, van der Vegt NFA, Papadakis CM. Cononsolvency of thermoresponsive polymers: where we are now and where we are going. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:2884-2909. [PMID: 35311857 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00146b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Cononsolvency is an intriguing phenomenon where a polymer collapses in a mixture of good solvents. This cosolvent-induced modulation of the polymer solubility has been observed in solutions of several polymers and biomacromolecules, and finds application in areas such as hydrogel actuators, drug delivery, compound detection and catalysis. In the past decade, there has been a renewed interest in understanding the molecular mechanisms which drive cononsolvency with a predominant emphasis on its connection to the preferential adsorption of the cosolvent. Significant efforts have also been made to understand cononsolvency in complex systems such as micelles, block copolymers and thin films. In this review, we will discuss some of the recent developments from the experimental, simulation and theoretical fronts, and provide an outlook on the problems and challenges which are yet to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swaminath Bharadwaj
- Technical University of Darmstadt, Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Computational Physical Chemistry Group, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Bart-Jan Niebuur
- Technical University of Munich, Physics Department, Soft Matter Physics Group, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Katja Nothdurft
- RWTH Aachen University, Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Landoltweg 2, 52056 Aachen, Germany, European Union
| | - Walter Richtering
- RWTH Aachen University, Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Landoltweg 2, 52056 Aachen, Germany, European Union
| | - Nico F A van der Vegt
- Technical University of Darmstadt, Eduard-Zintl-Institut für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Computational Physical Chemistry Group, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Christine M Papadakis
- Technical University of Munich, Physics Department, Soft Matter Physics Group, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
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32
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New Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-butylacrylate) Copolymer Biointerfaces and Their Characteristic Influence on Cell Behavior In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23073988. [PMID: 35409347 PMCID: PMC9000054 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23073988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Designing and obtaining new synthetic smart biointerfaces with specific and controlled characteristics relevant for applications in biomedical and bioengineering domains represents one of the main challenges in these fields. In this work, Matrix-Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) is used to obtain synthetic biointerfaces of poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide-butyl acrylate) p(NIPAM-BA) copolymer with different characteristics (i.e., roughness, porosity, wettability), and their effect on normal HEK 293 T and murine melanoma B16-F1 cells is studied. For this, the influence of various solvents (chloroform, dimethylsulfoxide, water) and fluence variation (250–450 mJ/cm2) on the morphological, roughness, wettability, and physico–chemical characteristics of the coatings are evaluated by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, contact angle measurements, Fourier-transform-IR spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Coatings obtained by the spin coating method are used for reference. No significant alteration in the chemistry of the surfaces is observed for the coatings obtained by both methods. All p(NIPAM-BA) coatings show hydrophilic character, with the exception of those obtained with chloroform at 250 mJ/cm2. The surface morphology is shown to depend on both solvent type and laser fluence and it ranges from smooth surfaces to rough and porous ones. Physico–chemical and biological analysis reveal that the MAPLE deposition method with fluences of 350–450 mJ/cm2 when using DMSO solvent is more appropriate for bioengineering applications due to the surface characteristics (i.e., pore presence) and to the good compatibility with normal cells and cytotoxicity against melanoma cells.
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33
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Comparison of different approaches to describe the thermotropic volume phase transition of smart microgels. Colloid Polym Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00396-022-04950-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AbstractThe description of gel swelling by Flory and Rehner using the original Flory–Huggins interaction parameter for the polymer–solvent interaction cannot be applied to most smart microgels. Here, we compare descriptions of the swelling curves of such microgels using series expansions of the Flory–Huggins parameter $$\chi$$
χ
with the results of Hill-like equation for $$\chi$$
χ
. We study N-isopropyl-acrylamide particles at different concentrations of the cross-linker N,N-methylenebisacrylamide. The hydrodynamic radius $$R_{\mathrm {H}}$$
R
H
of the microgel particles is determined using photon correlation spectroscopy. The fits with the series expansion of $$\chi$$
χ
nicely follow the experimental data. However, already with the first-order series expansion, the computed $$\Theta$$
Θ
temperatures are not physically reasonable. Moreover, the physical meaning of the parameters of the series expansion is not clear. The Hill-like equation, which we recently introduced, yields a good description of all measured microgel swelling curves and provides physically meaningful parameters. For instance, the Hill parameter $$\nu$$
ν
corresponds to the number of water molecules per network chain cooperatively leaving the chain at the volume phase transition.
Graphical abstract
Different approaches to model the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter are explored and compared with respect to the quality of the fit of microgel swelling curves.
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34
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Vijayakumar B, Takatsuka M, Kita R, Shinyashiki N, Yagihara S, Rathinasabapathy S. Dynamics of the Poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide) Microgel Aqueous Suspension Investigated by Dielectric Relaxation Spectroscopy. Macromolecules 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c02083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Balachandar Vijayakumar
- Department of Physics, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai 600119, India
| | - Masanobu Takatsuka
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan
| | - Rio Kita
- Department of Physics, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan
- Micro/Nano Technology Center, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan
| | - Naoki Shinyashiki
- Department of Physics, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan
- Micro/Nano Technology Center, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan
| | - Shin Yagihara
- Department of Physics, Tokai University, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292, Japan
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35
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Rosi BP, Tavagnacco L, Comez L, Sassi P, Ricci M, Buratti E, Bertoldo M, Petrillo C, Zaccarelli E, Chiessi E, Corezzi S. Thermoresponsivity of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) microgels in water-trehalose solution and its relation to protein behavior. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 604:705-718. [PMID: 34280768 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESES Additives are commonly used to tune macromolecular conformational transitions. Among additives, trehalose is an excellent bioprotectant and among responsive polymers, PNIPAM is the most studied material. Nevertheless, their interaction mechanism so far has only been hinted without direct investigation, and, crucially, never elucidated in comparison to proteins. Detailed insights would help understand to what extent PNIPAM microgels can effectively be used as synthetic biomimetic materials, to reproduce and study, at the colloidal scale, isolated protein behavior and its sensitivity to interactions with specific cosolvents or cosolutes. EXPERIMENTS The effect of trehalose on the swelling behavior of PNIPAM microgels was monitored by dynamic light scattering; Raman spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations were used to explore changes of solvation and dynamics across the swelling-deswelling transition at the molecular scale. FINDINGS Strongly hydrated trehalose molecules develop water-mediated interactions with PNIPAM microgels, thereby preserving polymer hydration below and above the transition while drastically inhibiting local motions of the polymer and of its hydration shell. Our study, for the first time, demonstrates that slowdown of dynamics and preferential exclusion are the principal mechanisms governing trehalose effect on PNIPAM microgels, at odds with preferential adsorption of alcohols, but in full analogy with the behavior observed in trehalose-protein systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedetta Petra Rosi
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università di Perugia, I-06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Letizia Tavagnacco
- CNR-ISC, Sapienza Università di Roma, I-00185 Roma, Italy; Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, I-00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Lucia Comez
- CNR-IOM, Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università di Perugia, I-06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Paola Sassi
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università di Perugia, I-06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Maria Ricci
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università di Perugia, I-06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Elena Buratti
- CNR-ISC, Sapienza Università di Roma, I-00185 Roma, Italy; Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, I-00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Monica Bertoldo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Farmaceutiche ed Agrarie, Università di Ferrara, I-44121 Ferrara, Italy; CNR-ISOF, Area della Ricerca, I-40129 Bologna, Italy
| | - Caterina Petrillo
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università di Perugia, I-06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Emanuela Zaccarelli
- CNR-ISC, Sapienza Università di Roma, I-00185 Roma, Italy; Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, I-00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Ester Chiessi
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Università di Roma "Tor Vergata", I-00133 Roma, Italy.
| | - Silvia Corezzi
- Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università di Perugia, I-06123 Perugia, Italy.
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36
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First events in the coil-to-globule transition of PVME in water: An ultrafast temperature jump - time-resolved elastic light scattering study. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 608:2018-2024. [PMID: 34749149 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.10.158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
HYPOTHESIS The coil-to-globule transition is an essential phenomenon in protein and polymer solutions. Late stages of such transitions, >1 µs, have been thoroughly studied. Yet, the initial ones are a matter of speculations. Here, we present the first observation of a sub-nanosecond stage of the coil-to-globule transition of poly (vinyl methyl ether), PVME, in water. EXPERIMENTS The detection of an early stage of the coil-to-globule transition has been possible thanks to a novel experimental approach - time-resolved elastic light scattering study, following an ultrafast temperature jump. We identified a molecular process active in the observed stage of the transition with use of broadband dielectric spectroscopy. FINDINGS In the experiment's time window, from a few ps to around 600 ps, we observed an increase in the light scattering intensity 300-400 ps after the temperature jump that heated the sample above its lower critical solution temperature (LCST). The observed time coincides with the time of segmental relaxation of PVME, determined by broadband dielectric spectroscopy in the temperature range of the LCST of the PVME/water mixture. This coincidence strongly suggests that the observed herein stage of coil-to-globule transition is the rapid formation of local nuclei along the polymer chain. Those nuclei may grow and aggregate in later stages of the process, which are out of our experimental time window.
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37
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Dahanayake R, Dormidontova EE. Hydrogen Bonding Sequence Directed Coil-Globule Transition in Water Soluble Thermoresponsive Polymers. PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS 2021; 127:167801. [PMID: 34723603 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.127.167801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The origin of the coil-globule transition for water-soluble thermoresponsive polymers frequently used in nanomaterials remains elusive. Using polypropylene oxide as an example we demonstrate by means of atomistic molecular dynamics simulations that temperature-induced increase in the sequence length of monomers that are not hydrogen bonded to water drives the coil-globule transition. Longer chains statistically exhibit longer sequences which serve as nucleation sites for hydrophobic cluster formation, facilitating chain collapse at lower temperature in agreement with experimental data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasika Dahanayake
- Polymer Program, Institute of Materials Science and Physics Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA
| | - Elena E Dormidontova
- Polymer Program, Institute of Materials Science and Physics Department, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269, USA
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38
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Marsili L, Dal Bo M, Eisele G, Donati I, Berti F, Toffoli G. Characterization of Thermoresponsive Poly-N-Vinylcaprolactam Polymers for Biological Applications. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:2639. [PMID: 34451180 PMCID: PMC8400179 DOI: 10.3390/polym13162639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Poly-N-Vinylcaprolactam (PNVCL) is a thermoresponsive polymer that exhibits lower critical solution temperature (LCST) between 25 and 50 °C. Due to its alleged biocompatibility, this polymer is becoming popular for biomedical and environmental applications. PNVCL with carboxyl terminations has been widely used for the preparation of thermoresponsive copolymers, micro- and nanogels for drug delivery and oncological therapies. However, the fabrication of such specific targeting devices needs standardized and reproducible preparation methods. This requires a deep understanding of how the miscibility behavior of the polymer is affected by its structural properties and the solution environment. In this work, PNVCL-COOH polymers were prepared via free radical polymerization (FRP) in order to exhibit LCST between 33 and 42 °C. The structural properties were investigated with NMR, FT-IR and conductimetric titration and the LCST was calculated via UV-VIS and DLS. The LCST is influenced by the molecular mass, as shown by both DLS and viscosimetric values. Finally, the behavior of the polymer was described as function of its concentration and in presence of different biologically relevant environments, such as aqueous buffers, NaCl solutions and human plasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Marsili
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, CRO National Cancer Institute, IRCCS, Via Franco Gallini 2, 33081 Aviano, Italy
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Michele Dal Bo
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, CRO National Cancer Institute, IRCCS, Via Franco Gallini 2, 33081 Aviano, Italy
| | - Giorgio Eisele
- Centro Alta Tecnologia "Istituto di Ricerche Chimiche e Biochimiche G. Ronzoni" Srl, via G. Colombo 81, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Ivan Donati
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 5, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Federico Berti
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Via Licio Giorgieri 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Toffoli
- Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology Unit, CRO National Cancer Institute, IRCCS, Via Franco Gallini 2, 33081 Aviano, Italy
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39
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Yao H, Olsen BD. SANS quantification of bound water in water-soluble polymers across multiple concentration regimes. SOFT MATTER 2021; 17:5303-5318. [PMID: 34013304 DOI: 10.1039/d0sm01962c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Contrast-variation small-angle neutron scattering (CV-SANS) is a widely used technique for quantifying hydration water in soft matter systems, but it is predominantly applied in the dilute regime or for systems with a well-defined structure factor. Here, CV-SANS was used to quantify the number of hydration water molecules associating with three water-soluble polymers with different critical solution temperatures and types of water-solute interactions in dilute, semidilute, and concentrated solution through the exploration of novel methods of data fitting and analysis. Multiple SANS fitting workflows with varying levels of model assumptions were evaluated and compared to give insight into SANS model selection. These fitting pathways ranged from general, model-free algorithms to more standard form and structure factor fitting. In addition, Monte Carlo bootstrapping was evaluated as a method to estimate parameter uncertainty through simulation of technical replicates. The most robust fitting workflow for dilute solutions was found to be form factor fitting without CV-SANS (i.e. polymer in 100% D2O). For semidilute and concentrated solutions, while the model-free approach can be mathematically defined for CV-SANS data, the addition of a structure factor imposes physical constraints on the optimization problem, suggesting that the optimal fitting pathway should include appropriate form and structure factor models. The measured hydration numbers were consistent with the number of tightly bound water molecules associated with each monomer unit, and the concentration dependence of the hydration number was largely governed by the chemistry-specific interactions between water and polymer. Polymers with weaker water-polymer interactions (i.e. those with fewer hydration water molecules) were found to have more bound water at higher concentrations than those with stronger water-polymer interactions due to the increase in the number of forced water-polymer contacts in the concentrated system. This SANS-based method to count hydration water molecules can be applied to polymers in any concentration regime, which will lead to improved understanding of water-polymer interactions and their impact on materials design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen Yao
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
| | - Bradley D Olsen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
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40
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Dhamecha D, Le D, Chakravarty T, Perera K, Dutta A, Menon JU. Fabrication of PNIPAm-based thermoresponsive hydrogel microwell arrays for tumor spheroid formation. MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING. C, MATERIALS FOR BIOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 2021; 125:112100. [PMID: 33965110 PMCID: PMC8110948 DOI: 10.1016/j.msec.2021.112100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 04/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Complex three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures are being increasingly implemented in biomedical research as they provide important insights into complex cancer biology, and cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions in the tumor microenvironment. However, most methods used today for 3D cell culture are limited by high cost, the need for specialized skills, low throughput and the use of unnatural culture environments. We report the development of a unique biomimetic hydrogel microwell array platform for the generation and stress-free isolation of cancer spheroids. The poly N-isopropylacrylamide-based hydrogel microwell array (PHMA) has thermoresponsive properties allowing for the attachment and growth of cell aggregates/ spheroids at 37 °C, and their easy isolation at room temperature (RT). The reversible phase transition of the microwell arrays at 35 °C was confirmed visually and by differential scanning calorimetry. Swelling/ shrinking studies and EVOS imaging established that the microwell arrays are hydrophilic and swollen at temperatures <35 °C, while they shrink and are hydrophobic at temperatures >35 °C. Spheroid development within the PHMA was optimized for seeding density, incubation time and cell viability. Spheroids of A549, HeLa and MG-63 cancer cell lines, and human lung fibroblast (HLF) cell line generated within the PHMAs had relatively spherical morphology with hypoxic cores. Finally, using MG-63 cell spheroids as representative models, a proof-of-concept drug response study using doxorubicin hydrochloride was conducted. Overall, we demonstrate that the PHMAs are an innovative alternative to currently used 3D cell culture techniques, for the high-throughput generation of cell spheroids for disease modeling and drug screening applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dinesh Dhamecha
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Duong Le
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Tomali Chakravarty
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Kalindu Perera
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Arnob Dutta
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Jyothi U Menon
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA.
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41
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Chaudhary G, Ghosh A, Kang JG, Braun PV, Ewoldt RH, Schweizer KS. Linear and nonlinear viscoelasticity of concentrated thermoresponsive microgel suspensions. J Colloid Interface Sci 2021; 601:886-898. [PMID: 34186277 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.05.111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
We present an integrated experimental and theoretical study of the dynamics and rheology of self-crosslinked, slightly charged, temperature responsive soft poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAM) microgels over a wide range of concentration and temperature spanning the sharp change in particle size and intermolecular interactions across the lower critical solution temperature (LCST). Dramatic, non-monotonic changes in viscoelasticity are observed as a function of temperature, with distinct concentration dependence in the dense fluid, glassy, and soft-jammed regimes. Motivated by our experimental observations, we formulate a minimalistic model for the size dependence of a single microgel particle and the change of the interparticle interaction from purely repulsive to attractive upon heating. Using microscopic equilibrium and time-dependent statistical mechanical theories, theoretical predictions are quantitatively compared with experimental measurements of the shear modulus. Good agreement is found for the nonmonotonic temperature behavior that originates as a consequence of the competition between reduced microgel packing fraction and increasing interparticle attractions. Testable predictions are made for nonlinear rheological properties such as the yield stress and strain. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to quantitatively understand in a unified manner the viscoelasticity of dense, temperature-responsive microgel suspensions spanning a wide range of temperatures and concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Chaudhary
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Ashesh Ghosh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jin Gu Kang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Paul V Braun
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Randy H Ewoldt
- Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
| | - Kenneth S Schweizer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
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Rahimzadeh A, Rutsch M, Kupnik M, Klitzing RV. Visualization of Acoustic Energy Absorption in Confined Aqueous Solutions by PNIPAM Microgels: Effects of Bulk Viscosity. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:5854-5863. [PMID: 33961436 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c00235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Ultrasound propagation in liquids is highly influenced by its attenuation due to viscous damping. The dissipated energy will be partially absorbed by the liquid due to its dynamic viscosity as well as its bulk viscosity. The former results in the generation of a flow that is called acoustic streaming, and the latter is associated with the vibrational and rotational relaxation of liquid molecules. Measuring the ultrasonic wave attenuation due to the bulk viscosity is presented as a novel method in this article. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) microgels, which are soluble in several solvents such as water, were used as acousto-responsive markers in water, which upon absorption of ultrasonic energy undergo a volume phase transition due to the breakage of their hydrogen bonds. Thus, they become insoluble in water, and due to shrinking, their optical density increases. As a result, their agglomeration can be seen as a turbid medium. We managed to visualize the ultrasonic energy absorption due to the bulk viscosity using the turbidity since the excess acoustic energy on top of the absorbed energy for the translational motion of liquid is spent to break the hydrogen bonds between PNIPAM and water. In addition, to quantify the turbidity phenomenon, the total energy required for breaking hydrogen bonds in the solution is calculated, and its evolution, according to the input power intensity, is quantified by image processing. The effect of viscosity by changing the microgel concentration was investigated, and it is shown that an increasing microgel concentration increases the acoustic energy absorption rate much greater than its dynamic viscosity. Therefore, the bulk viscosity, as the responsible parameter for this increase, is measured directly from the energy of broken hydrogen bonds. The results show that at low solution concentration (0.2 wt %) the bulk viscosity is in the same order of magnitude as its dynamic viscosity. Increasing the concentrations to 1 and 5 wt % increases the bulk viscosity and consequently the structural relaxation time by 1 and 2 orders of magnitude, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Rahimzadeh
- Department of Physics, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Hochschulstraße 8, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Matthias Rutsch
- Measurement and Sensor Technology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Merckstraße 25, 64283 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Mario Kupnik
- Measurement and Sensor Technology, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Merckstraße 25, 64283 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Regine von Klitzing
- Department of Physics, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Hochschulstraße 8, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany
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Ma B, Wang L, Han L, Cai W, Shao X. Understanding the effect of urea on the phase transition of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) in aqueous solution by temperature-dependent near-infrared spectroscopy. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2021; 253:119573. [PMID: 33618264 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2021.119573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Regulating the folding state by denaturants is essential for the structure and function of proteins. Poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAM) is usually regarded as a model for protein denaturation. The effects of urea, as a denaturant, on the aggregations of PNIPAM was studied by temperature-dependent near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, and particularly the variation of water structures was analyzed. The NIR spectra of the polymer-urea solutions containing different polymer concentrations were measured at different temperatures. N-way principal component analysis (NPCA) was performed to observe the spectral information. Three principal components (PCs) containing the spectral information of CH groups were obtained, showing three kinds of CH in the system. Obvious dehydration of the three CH groups occurs at 27.5 °C in solution, but the temperature turns to 27 °C for two kinds of the CH and 26.5 °C for the third one, respectively, in the urea-add solution. The effect of urea on the formation of the intramolecular hydrogen bonds that promotes polymer folding is suggested. The spectral information of NH in urea molecule indicates that the direct interaction of urea and polymer facilitates the stability of the polymer globule state. Furthermore, the spectral information of OH shows that the release of the water molecules with three hydrogen bonds (S3), which may connect the NH and CO groups in PNIPAM in solution, leads to the phase transition. When urea is added, urea may reduce the content of the S3 water to facilitate the release, making the phase transition at a low temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Ma
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Li Wang
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Li Han
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Wensheng Cai
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Xueguang Shao
- Research Center for Analytical Sciences, College of Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Biosensing and Molecular Recognition, Tianjin 300071, PR China; State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Tianjin 300071, PR China.
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Glass and Jamming Rheology in Soft Particles Made of PNIPAM and Polyacrylic Acid. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22084032. [PMID: 33919803 PMCID: PMC8070831 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22084032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The phase behaviour of soft colloids has attracted great attention due to the large variety of new phenomenologies emerging from their ability to pack at very high volume fractions. Here we report rheological measurements on interpenetrated polymer network microgels composed of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and polyacrylic acid (PAAc) at fixed PAAc content as a function of weight concentration. We found three different rheological regimes characteristic of three different states: a Newtonian shear-thinning fluid, an attractive glass characterized by a yield stress, and a jamming state. We discuss the possible molecular mechanisms driving the formation of these states.
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Yang XD, Chen W, Ren Y, Chu LY. Exploring the structural transition mechanisms of a pair of poly( N-isopropylacrylamide) chains in aqueous solution through coarse-grained molecular simulations coupled with metadynamics. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2021.1881086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Dan Yang
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex Systems, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex Systems, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Dalian National Laboratory for Clean Energy, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, Liaoning, People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Complex Systems, Institute of Process Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Innovation Academy for Green Manufacture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang-Yin Chu
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
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Friesen S, Hannappel Y, Kakorin S, Hellweg T. Accounting for Cooperativity in the Thermotropic Volume Phase Transition of Smart Microgels. Gels 2021; 7:gels7020042. [PMID: 33918048 PMCID: PMC8167792 DOI: 10.3390/gels7020042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
A full quantitative description of the swelling of smart microgels is still problematic in many cases. The original approach of Flory and Huggins for the monomer–solvent interaction parameter χ cannot be applied to some microgels. The reason for this obviously is that the cross-linking enhances the cooperativity of the volume phase transitions, since all meshes of the network are mechanically coupled. This was ignored in previous approaches, arguing with distinct transition temperatures for different meshes to describe the continuous character of the transition of microgels. Here, we adjust the swelling curves of a series of smart microgels using the Flory–Rehner description, where the polymer–solvent interaction parameter χ is modeled by a Hill-like equation for a cooperative thermotropic transition. This leads to a very good description of all measured microgel swelling curves and yields the physically meaningful Hill parameter ν. A linear decrease of ν is found with increasing concentration of the cross-linker N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide in the microgel particles p(NIPAM), p(NNPAM), and p(NIPMAM). The linearity suggests that the Hill parameter ν corresponds to the number of water molecules per network chain that cooperatively leave the chain at the volume phase transition. Driven by entropy, ν water molecules of the solvate become cooperatively “free” and leave the polymer network.
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Rusen E, Mocanu A, Șomoghi R, Culiţă DC, Mitran RA, Dinescu A, Matei A, Diacon A. Mechanism of polymer particles formation during the soap-free emulsion terpolymerization of styrene - acrylic acid – N -(isopropyl acrylamide) for photonic crystals fabrication. Colloids Surf A Physicochem Eng Asp 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2021.126158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Tavagnacco L, Chiessi E, Zaccarelli E. Molecular insights on poly( N-isopropylacrylamide) coil-to-globule transition induced by pressure. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:5984-5991. [PMID: 33666621 PMCID: PMC8247264 DOI: 10.1039/d0cp06452a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
By using extensive all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of an atactic linear polymer chain, we provide microscopic insights into poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) coil-to-globule transition addressing the roles played by both temperature and pressure. We detect a coil-to-globule transition up to large pressures, showing a reentrant behavior of the critical temperature with increasing pressure in agreement with experimental observations. Furthermore, again confirming the experimental findings, we report the existence at high pressures of a new kind of globular state. It is characterized by a more structured hydration shell that is closer to PNIPAM hydrophobic domains, as compared to the globular state observed at atmospheric pressure. Our results highlight that temperature and pressure induce a PNIPAM coil-to-globule transition through different molecular mechanisms, opening the way for a systematic use of both thermodynamic variables to tune the location of the transition and the properties of the associated swollen/collapsed states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Tavagnacco
- CNR-ISC and Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 2, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Ester Chiessi
- Department of Chemical Sciences and Technologies, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della Ricerca Scientifica I, 00133, Rome, Italy.
| | - Emanuela Zaccarelli
- CNR-ISC and Department of Physics, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 2, 00185, Rome, Italy.
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Ahmad HMN, Dutta G, Csoros J, Si B, Yang R, Halpern JM, Seitz WR, Song E. Stimuli-Responsive Templated Polymer as a Target Receptor for a Conformation-based Electrochemical Sensing Platform. ACS APPLIED POLYMER MATERIALS 2021; 3:329-341. [PMID: 33748761 PMCID: PMC7971449 DOI: 10.1021/acsapm.0c01120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The use of highly crosslinked molecularly imprinted polymers as a synthetic target receptor has the limitations of restricted accessibility to the binding sites resulting in slow response time. Moreover, such artificial receptors often require additional transduction mechanisms to translate target binding events into measurable signals. Here, we propose the development of a single-chain stimuli-responsive templated polymer, without using any covalent interchain crosslinkers, as a target recognition element. The synthesized polymer chain exhibits preferential binding with the target molecule with which the polymer is templated. Moreover, upon specific target recognition, the polymer undergoes conformation change induced by its particular stimuli responsiveness, namely the target binding event. Such templated single-chain polymers can be attached to the electrode surface to implement a label-free electrochemical sensing platform. A target analyte, 4-nitrophenol (4-NP), was used as a template to synthesize a poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM)-based copolymer chain which was anchored to the electrode to be used as a selective receptor for 4-NP. The electrode surface chemistry analysis and the electrochemical impedance study reveal that the polymer concentration, the interchain interactions, and the Hofmeister effect play a major role in influencing the rate of polymer grafting as well as the morphology of the polymers grafted to the electrode. We also show that the specific binding between 4-NP and the copolymer results in a substantial change in the charge transfer kinetics at the electrode signifying the polymer conformation change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Habib M. N. Ahmad
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States
| | - Gaurab Dutta
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States
| | - John Csoros
- Department of Chemistry, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States
| | - Bo Si
- Department of Chemistry, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States
| | - Rongfang Yang
- Department of Chemistry, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States
| | - Jeffrey M. Halpern
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States
| | - W. Rudolf Seitz
- Department of Chemistry, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States
| | - Edward Song
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States
- Materials Science Program, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States
- Corresponding Author: Edward Song, . Phone: +1-603-862-5498
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50
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Kogo T, Shundo A, Wang C, Tanaka K. Spatial Heterogeneity Accompanying Gel Formation of Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Aqueous Solution at a Temperature below Cloud Point. Macromolecules 2020. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Takuro Kogo
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Atsuomi Shundo
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- Department of Automotive Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Chi Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Keiji Tanaka
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- Department of Automotive Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research (WPI-I2CNER), Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- Center for Polymer Interface and Molecular Adhesion Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
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