Search results for " polymer chemistry"
showing 4 items of 4 documents
A facile way to build up branched high functional polyaminoacids with tunable physicochemical and biological properties
2016
Abstract Here, for the first time, branched polyaminoacids bearing α-amino acids as side functions, namely PAA-co-AA and PGA-co-AA, are prepared by heterophase ring opening of polysuccinimide (PSI) with l -arginine or glycine in aqueous environment and at controlled pH. The modulation of the pH of the reaction leads to high-molecular-weight copolymers with tunable functionalization and, as consequence, with tailor-made physicochemical properties. Furthermore, a branched polyaminoacid carrying a preformed bioactive peptide ( l -trileucine) and l -arginine as side pendants, named PATA-co-AA, was synthesized via a similar pathway thus leading to complex biomimetic materials potentially exploit…
Radiation-engineered polymer nano-platforms for targeted drug delivery
2016
In the last twenty years, several nanobiomaterial-based nanocarriers, so-called nanoplatforms, have been proposed for the treatment of life- threating or quality-of-life-impairing diseases. The role of the nanocarrier is to increase drug localisation via passive and active targeting, to protect the drug from degradation and premature clearance, to facilitate its bypass through biological barriers and increase uptake by cells. For a successful translational research, the system composition should be as simple as possible, and the manufacturing processes should be fast, flexible and should enable a rapid product development from lab-scale to low cost, large-scale production. With this focus, …
Radiation-induced synthesis of nanogels: advances in research and applications
2016
From their first appearance in 1969, when Schnagel and Borwardt reported the radiochemical synthesis of poly(ethylene oxide) microgels by gamma-irradiation, the possibility of generating crosslinked micro- and nanoparticles from ”pure” aqueous solutions of macromolecules, have triggered the imagination of material scientists on the search for ”clean” processes and products for biomedical applications. Thanks to the seminal studies of Rosiak and co-workers, who have clarified, both experimentally and mechanistically, the key role of intra-molecular crosslinking in controlling the particle size, the scientific community has now a powerful tool to design and manufacture radiation-synthetized n…
On the mechanism of radiation synthesis of nanogels
2016
Radiation-engineered poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) nanogels are very interesting biocompatible nanocarriers for i.v. administration of therapeutics and contrast agents for bioimaging among other applications. Nanogels are usually produced upon irradiation of dilute aqueous polymer solutions. Under these conditions, the polymer radicals formed primarily react via intramolecular radical-radical combination forming intramolecular crosslinks. The manufacturing process is fast and effective and grants excellent control of particle size and simultaneous sterilization of the formed nanogels. Interestingly, primary amino groups and carboxyl groups, useful for (bio)conjugation, are also formed in a dose…