通过星形聚合物在水溶液中的自组装形成具有亲水/疏水子域的多室纳米颗粒《Macromolecules》

Multicompartment Nanoparticles Bearing Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic Subdomains by Self-Assembly of Star Polymers in Aqueous Solution

Haohui Huo, Jie Liu, Senthil Kannan, Long Chen, Yimin Zhao, Lei Zhang, Gang Chang, Qilu Zhang*, and Feng Liu*

Macromolecules 2021, 54, 1, 35–43

Publication Date: December 16, 2020

https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.macromol.0c02213

Abstract

The direct construction of protein-like multicompartment nanoparticles (MCNs) possessing hydrophilic/hydrophobic subdomains is a contemporary challenge. Herein, we present the first example of such MCNs via self-assembly of the specially designed A(BC)20 star polymer in an aqueous solution. The topology of the 21-arm star polymer, poly(ethylene glycol)[poly(acrylic acid)-block-polystyrene]20 [PEG(PAA-b-PS)20], is the key to simultaneously form hydrophilic/hydrophobic subdomains of nanoparticles during self-assembling, as the water-soluble PAA blocks are confined in the core, resulting in hydrophilic subdomains. The volume ratio of PS to PAA (VPS/VPAA) is found to be the main factor that determines the morphology of MCNs; besides micelles and vesicles, strings consisting of one-dimensional (1D) alignment of single-star polymers were found for the first time, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and cryo-TEM. Lastly, a new mechanism for the assembly of the star polymers was proposed based on the investigations of PEG(PAA-b-PS)20 self-assembly under different water contents, concentrations, and pH values. The MCNs reported in this work may find various applications in, e.g., co-delivery of drugs and heterogeneous catalysis.

SUBJECTS:

• Micelles,

• Polymer morphology,

• Self organization,

• Star polymers,

• Transmission electron microscopy