0000000000617793
AUTHOR
Valerie S. Wilms
How Structure-Related Collapse Mechanisms Determine Nanoscale Inhomogeneities in Thermoresponsive Polymers
Continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance (CW EPR) spectroscopy on the amphiphilic spin probe TEMPO in solutions of selectively chosen functional, thermoresponsive poly(propylene oxide) (PPO)- and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based copolymers of both linear and branched structure is used to elucidate their host–guest interactions and inverse phase transitions. Three different fundamental types of host–guest interactions between probes and polymers could be correlated to the phase transition mechanisms (supported by MD simulations), evidencing that these proceed via nanoscale inhomogeneities of the polymers. Because of their ability to host small amphiphilic guest molecules, thermorespon…
Aminofunctional polyethers: smart materials for applications in solution and on surfaces
In recent years, biocompatible polyethers with multi-aminofunctionality have been used for a variety of applications in different fields. Both established and recently developed synthesis strategies for such polymers and applications as stimuli-responsive materials, non-viral vectors, shell crosslinked micelles and for surface functionalization are reviewed. The intriguing potential of such materials is due to both polyether and polyamine components and can thus be readily tuned by the copolymer microstructure and composition. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry
Catechol-Initiated Polyethers: Multifunctional Hydrophilic Ligands for PEGylation and Functionalization of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles
Bifunctional CA-PEG (catechol-poly(ethylene glycol)) and multifunctional CA-PEG-PGA/PEVGE (poly(glycidyl amine)/poly(ethylene glycol vinyl glycidyl ether)) ligands for the functionalization and solubilization of nanoparticles are introduced. Tunable polymers with polydispersities1.25 and molecular weights in the range 500-7700 g mol(-1) containing a catechol moiety for conjugation to metal oxide nanoparticles were prepared. The functional PEG ligands were synthesized starting from the acetonide-protected catechol initiator 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-benzodioxole-5-propanol (CA-OH) for oxyanionic polymerization. CA-OH was used both for homopolymerization of ethylene oxide (EO) as well as copolymerizat…
Impact of Amino-Functionalization on the Response of Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) to External Stimuli
It is shown that amino-functionalization of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) with the comonomer N,N-diethyl glycidyl amine (DEGA) triggers the emergence of extraordinary stimuli responsiveness and phase behavior of PEG. In dependence of the solution pH, tapered PEG-co-PDEGA exhibits a highly cooperative two-step inverse phase transition with respect to temperature. The polymer forms dispersed metastable nanoglobules in the medically relevant temperature range around human body temperature. Independently, cloud points can be adjusted between 40 and 90 °C via the pH of the solution. Changing the polymer architecture to a block structure, in pronounced contrast, the polymer exhibits a gradual growt…