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Chen H, Schumacher M, Ianiro A, Stank TJ, Janoszka N, Chen C, Azhdari S, Hellweg T, Gröschel AH. Photocleavable Polymer Cubosomes: Synthesis, Self-Assembly, and Photorelease. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:14776-14784. [PMID: 38668645 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c02651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Polymer cubosomes (PCs) are a recent class of self-assembled block copolymer (BCP) microparticles with an accessible periodic channel system. Most reported PCs consist of a polystyrene scaffold, which provides mechanical stability for templating but has a limited intrinsic functionality. Here, we report the synthesis of photocleavable BCPs with compositions suitable for PC formation. We analyze the self-assembly mechanism and study the model release of dyes during irradiation, where the transition of the BCPs from amphiphilic to bishydrophilic causes the rapid disassembly of the PCs. A combination of modeling and experiment shows that the evolution of PCs proceeds first via liquid-liquid phase separation into polymer-rich droplets, followed by microphase separation within this droplet confinement, and finally, membrane reorganization into high internal order. This insight may encourage exploration of alternative preparation strategies to better control the size and homogeneity of PCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Chen
- Institute for Physical Chemistry and Center for Soft Nanoscience (SoN), University of Münster, Corrensstraße 28-30, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Marcel Schumacher
- Institute for Physical Chemistry and Center for Soft Nanoscience (SoN), University of Münster, Corrensstraße 28-30, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Alessandro Ianiro
- Department of Chemistry, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200F, Leuven 3001, Belgium
- Biophysics Group, Adolphe Merkle Institute, Chemin des Verdiers 4, Fribourg 1700, Switzerland
| | - Tim Julian Stank
- Department of Chemistry, Physical and Biophysical Chemistry, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
| | - Nicole Janoszka
- Institute for Physical Chemistry and Center for Soft Nanoscience (SoN), University of Münster, Corrensstraße 28-30, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Chen Chen
- Institute for Physical Chemistry and Center for Soft Nanoscience (SoN), University of Münster, Corrensstraße 28-30, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Suna Azhdari
- Institute for Physical Chemistry and Center for Soft Nanoscience (SoN), University of Münster, Corrensstraße 28-30, Münster 48149, Germany
| | - Thomas Hellweg
- Department of Chemistry, Physical and Biophysical Chemistry, Bielefeld University, Bielefeld 33615, Germany
| | - André H Gröschel
- Institute for Physical Chemistry and Center for Soft Nanoscience (SoN), University of Münster, Corrensstraße 28-30, Münster 48149, Germany
- Polymer Materials for Energy Storage (PES), Bavarian Center for Battery Technology (BayBatt) and Bavarian Polymer Institute (BPI), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, Bayreuth 95448, Germany
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Sun Q, Shi J, Sun H, Zhu Y, Du J. Membrane and Lumen-Compartmentalized Polymersomes for Biocatalysis and Cell Mimics. Biomacromolecules 2023; 24:4587-4604. [PMID: 37842883 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biomac.3c00726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2023]
Abstract
Compartmentalization is a crucial feature of a natural cell, manifested in cell membrane and inner lumen. Inspired by the cellular structure, multicompartment polymersomes (MCPs), including membrane-compartmentalized polymersomes and lumen-compartmentalized polymersomes (polymersomes-in-polymersomes), have aroused great expectations for biological applications such as biocatalysis and cell mimics in the past decades. Compared with traditional polymersomes, MCPs have advantages in encapsulating multiple enzymes separately for multistep enzymatic cascade reactions. In this review, first, the design principles and preparation methods of membrane-compartmentalized and lumen-compartmentalized polymersomes are summarized. Next, recent advances of MCPs as nanoreactors and cell mimics to mimic subcellular organelles or artificial cells are discussed. Finally, the future research directions of MCPs are prospected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingmei Sun
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
- Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Civil Engineering Materials of Ministry of Education, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804, China
| | - Junqiu Shi
- Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Civil Engineering Materials of Ministry of Education, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804, China
| | - Hui Sun
- State Key Laboratory of High-Efficiency Coal Utilization and Green Chemical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - Yunqing Zhu
- Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Civil Engineering Materials of Ministry of Education, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804, China
| | - Jianzhong Du
- Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology and Brain Functional Modulation, Clinical Research Center for Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Translational Research Institute of Brain and Brain-Like Intelligence, Shanghai Fourth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
- Department of Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Civil Engineering Materials of Ministry of Education, Tongji University, 4800 Caoan Road, Shanghai 201804, China
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Gröschel AH, Gröschel T, Azhdari S, Schumacher M, Chen H. Prismatic Block Copolymer Hexosomes. ACS NANO 2023; 17:16069-16079. [PMID: 37566704 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c04827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Cubosomes and hexosomes are recent solution morphologies with an ordered porous structure and are observed for lipids and amphiphilic block copolymers (BCPs) with high hydrophobic fractions. Whereas lipid hexosomes typically exhibit a prismatic shape, BCP hexosomes have so far only been observed as closed microspheres where inner channels are not connected to the surrounding medium. Here, we describe the formation of flat, prismatic BCP hexosomes with pronounced faceting and a highly ordered lattice of hexagonally packed channels. We assemble polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP or SV) into the hexosome framework using polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine)-block-poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) (PS-b-P4VP-b-PT or SVT) as a macromolecular surfactant in low-χ solvents. During solvent exchange, SV-rich domains form through liquid-liquid phase separation, followed by solidification and confined assembly within these domains. Since the final solvent (acetone) has a very low χ parameter toward PS and P4VP (equaling low interfacial tension), solidification of the hexosome occurs under confinement conditions that we term "supersoft". The low interfacial tension allows the stabilization of the hexagonal-prismatic shape, which originates from the hexagonal lattice of channels. Increasing the interfacial tension with polar cosolvents at some point dominates the particle shape, resulting in deformation of prismatic BCP hexosomes into spinning-top structures. The use of low-χ solvents for confined assembly of BCPs may allow the formation of unusual particle shapes simply by tuning the polymer-solvent interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- André H Gröschel
- Institute for Physical Chemistry and Center for Soft Nanoscience (SoN), University of Münster, Corrensstraße 28-30, 48149 Münster, Germany
- Polymer Materials for Energy Storage (PES), Bavarian Centre for Battery Technology (BayBatt) and Bavarian Polymer Institute (BPI), University of Bayreuth, Universitätsstr. 30, 95448 Bayreuth, Germany
| | - Tina Gröschel
- Evonik Industries AG, High-Performance Polymers, Paul-Baumann-Straße 1, 45772 Marl, Germany
| | - Suna Azhdari
- Institute for Physical Chemistry and Center for Soft Nanoscience (SoN), University of Münster, Corrensstraße 28-30, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Marcel Schumacher
- Institute for Physical Chemistry and Center for Soft Nanoscience (SoN), University of Münster, Corrensstraße 28-30, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Hui Chen
- Institute for Physical Chemistry and Center for Soft Nanoscience (SoN), University of Münster, Corrensstraße 28-30, 48149 Münster, Germany
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Grandes Reyes CF, Ha S, Kim KT. Synthesis and applications of polymer cubosomes and hexosomes. JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/pol.20230053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sungmin Ha
- Department of Chemistry Seoul National University Seoul Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung Taek Kim
- Department of Chemistry Seoul National University Seoul Republic of Korea
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Xiang L, Li Q, Li C, Yang Q, Xu F, Mai Y. Block Copolymer Self-Assembly Directed Synthesis of Porous Materials with Ordered Bicontinuous Structures and Their Potential Applications. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2207684. [PMID: 36255138 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202207684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Porous materials with their ordered bicontinuous structures have attracted great interest owing to ordered periodic structures as well as 3D interconnected network and pore channels. Bicontinuous structures may favor efficient mass diffusion to the interior of materials, thus increasing the utilization ratio of active sites. In addition, ordered bicontinuous structures confer materials with exceptional optical and magnetic properties, including tunable photonic bandgap, negative refraction, and multiple equivalent magnetization configurations. The attractive structural advantages and physical properties have inspired people to develop strategies for preparing bicontinuous-structured porous materials. Among a few synthetic approaches, the self-assembly of block copolymers represents a versatile strategy to prepare various bicontinuous-structured functional materials with pore sizes and lattice parameters ranging from 1 to 500 nm. This article overviews progress in this appealing area, with an emphasis on the synthetic strategies, the structural control (including topologies, pore sizes, and unit cell parameters), and their potential applications in energy storage and conversion, metamaterials, photonic crystals, cargo delivery and release, nanoreactors, and biomolecule selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luoxing Xiang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Thermal Ageing, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Qian Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Thermal Ageing, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Chen Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Thermal Ageing, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Qiqi Yang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Thermal Ageing, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Fugui Xu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Thermal Ageing, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
| | - Yiyong Mai
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Electrical Insulation and Thermal Ageing, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China
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