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In this study, we report the synthesis and phase behaviour of statistical p(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-2-acrylamidephenylboronic acid) P(NIPAM-co-2-AAPBA) copolymers. They were obtained via free radical copolymerization of NIPAM and the pinacol ester of 2-acrylamidephenylboronic acid. The influence of copolymer composition on the demixing/mixing temperature was investigated by means of UV/Vis spectrometry, DLS, DSC, and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The turbidity experiments revealed the gradual increase of the cloud point with the increase of 2-AAPBA content in the copolymer up to 37 °C at 30 mol%. The copolymer with 45 mol% did not display any transition. For copolymers displaying the cloud point, the hysteresis in the demixing/mixing temperature was observed. Transmittance measurements, DLS, and 1H NMR spectroscopy demonstrated that the phase transition was sharp upon heating, whereas the phase transition of the copolymer upon a decrease of temperature occurred in a much wider temperature range. Moreover, the NIPAM copolymer with 5 mol% 2-AAPBA content displayed 5 °C hysteresis, whereas for the copolymer containing 30 mol% 2-AAPBA it reached 25 °C. Actually, nanoparticles were formed from the copolymer with 30 mol% of 2-AAPBA above the cloud point, which were stable upon cooling to 5 °C showing the potential for drug delivery applications. Raman spectroscopy applied for the analysis of an aqueous solution of NIPAM copolymer with 15 mol% content heated over the cloud point revealed the appearance of a vibrational band at 753 cm−1 characteristic of boroxine, i.e., boronic acid anhydride, the formation of which explains the broadening of the hysteresis. The detailed analysis of experimental data supported with DFT calculations evidenced the presence of other vibrational bands of 2-AAPBA anhydride (780, 957 and 999 cm−1). This is the first report of boroxine formation upon the phase transition of boronic acid-based thermoresponsive copolymers.

Supramolecular motifs showing chemoresponsive properties toward organic molecules are sought after. Their selectivity, however, may depend even on a small structural change. Here, we demonstrate th...

In this paper, we present novel well-defined unimolecular micelles constructed a on poly(furfuryl glycidyl ether) core and highly hydrophilic poly(glyceryl glycerol ether) shell, PFGE-b-PGGE. The copolymer was synthesized via anionic ring-opening polymerization of furfuryl glycidyl ether and (1,2-isopropylidene glyceryl) glycidyl ether, respectively. MTT assay revealed that the copolymer is non-cytotoxic against human cervical cancer endothelial (HeLa) cells. The copolymer thanks to furan moieties in its core is capable of encapsulation of nifuratel, a hydrophobic nitrofuran derivative, which is a drug applied in the gynaecology therapies that shows a broad antimicroorganism spectrum. The study shows high loading capacity of the copolymer, i.e., 146 mg of nifuratel per 1 g of copolymer. The load unimolecular micelles were characterized using DLS and TEM microscopy and compared with the reference glyceryl glycerol ether homopolymer sample. The presence of numerous 1,2-diol moieties in the shell of PFGE-b-PGG macromolecules enabled the formation of reversible cross-links with 2-acrylamidephenylboronic acid-based polyacrylamide. The obtained hydrogels were both injectable and self-healable, which was confirmed with a rheological study.

Smart polymer materials that respond to a chemical stimulus are applied for the construction of biomedical devices and purification/separation systems. Small organic molecules are a particular type of stimulus. Their abnormal concentration indisputably indicates certain diseases. They are also hazardous environment contaminants. Polymer materials, which structure is selectively changed in the presence of a defined organic compound are promising in view of regulation of certain biomedical functions, as well as in view of chemical detectors construction. This review summarizes the state of the art in the self-assemblies of amphiphilic copolymers and polymer networks sensitive toward organic species, with an emphasis on the reports from the last decade. We focus on the relationship between the selectivity of introduced receptor moieties responsible for the change of material structure, the overall structure of material and its functionality.

This paper describes the preparation of spheroidal polystyrene core and polyglycidol-rich microparticles by stretching the relevant core-shell microspheres embedded into the poly(vinyl alcohol) film. The requirements for the preparation of the defect-free core-shell spheroids were determined. The rearrangement of the microparticle interfacial layer accompanying the conversion of the microspheres into microspheroids is described.

An efficient method was developed enabling the synthesis of spheroidal polymer microparticles. Thorough physicochemical characteristics of the particles were acquired comprising the size, shape, electrophoretic mobility, and the diffusion coefficient. The particles were monodisperse, and their shape was well-fitted by prolate spheroids having the axis ratio equal to 4.17. Knowing the diffusion coefficient, their hydrodynamic diameter of 449 nm was calculated, which matched the value derived from Brenner's analytical expression. Particle deposition kinetics on mica and silicon/silica substrates, modified by poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) adsorption, was studied by optical microscopy and AFM imaging. The validity of the random sequential adsorption model was confirmed. Additionally, monolayers of the particles on these substrates were thoroughly characterized in situ by the streaming potential measurements for different ionic strengths. These measurements confirmed that the ζ potential change with the spheroidal particle coverage is less abrupt than for spheres and agrees with theoretical predictions. Exploiting these results, a useful analytical expression was derived that allows one to calculate the spheroidal particle coverage in situ via the streaming potential measurements. This expression, especially accurate for low coverage range, can be used for a quantitative interpretation of adsorption and desorption kinetics of anisotropic macromolecules, e.g., proteins on solid substrates.

We present biocompatible hydrogel systems suitable for biomineralization processes based on hyperbranched polyglycidol cross-linked with acrylamide copolymer bearing carbonyl-coordinated boronic acid. At neutral pH, diol functional groups of HbPGL react with boronic acid of polyacrylamide to generate 3D network in water by the formation of boronic ester cross-links. The dynamic associative/dissociative characteristics of the cross-links makes the network reversible. The presented hydrogels display self-healing properties and are injectable, facilitating gap filing of bone tissue. The 1H HR MAS DOSY NMR studies reveal that acrylamide copolymer plays the role of the network framework, whereas HbPGL macromolecules, due to their compact structure, move between reactive sites of the copolymer. The influence of the copolymer macromolecules entanglements and overall polymer concentrations on macromolecules mobility and stress relaxation processes is investigated. The process of hydrogel biomineralization results...

Linear and hyperbranched polyglycidol (LPGL and HPGL) with average molecular weight of a few thousands were studied in water and surfactant solutions. The employed surfactants are hexaethyleneglycol mono n -dodecyl ether (C 12 E 6 ), cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). The working methods are surface tension, steady-state fluorescence, dynamic light scattering (DLS), electrokinetic potential and FTIR spectroscopy. The linear polyglycidols are weakly associative species, unlike the hyperbranched one which is more hydrophilic and harder associates. The linear polymers most efficiently interact with the anionic surfactant, followed by cationic and most weakly with the nonionic. The hydrodynamic diameters of the investigated polyglycidols depend on their structure and molecular weight. In the presence of SDS, the hydrodynamic diameters vary with surfactant concentration. The study reveals the solubilization of fluorescent probes (pyrene, naphthalene) inside the polyglycidol aggregates. Unlike the LPGL, the presence of cavities in HPGL macromolecule offers supplementary “pockets” for solubilization.

The study sheds light on the interaction between chitosan (Ch) and polyglycidol (PGL) and uses their interpolymer complex in hydrophilic coating of iron oxide particles (M). Preliminary investigations were performed by modeling chitosan and polyglycidol chains interactions using coarse grained beads approximation and molecular dynamics simulations. The results revealed that Ch and PGL chains associate together forming weak strength complexes, which was experimentally confirmed by surface tension, fluorescence and FTIR. The Ch-PGL mixture (C) and sodium dodecylsulfate (S) were used for layer-by-layer preparation of hydrophilic multilayer coatings of M. The successful covering, demonstrated by DLS, Zeta potential, FTIR, EDAX, preserved the particles super-paramagnetic properties. The most stable multilayer nanocomposite (MSCS) efficiently adsorbed methylene blue from water. The Freundlich model fitted well the equilibrium isotherm data, indicating a heterogeneous, multilayer adsorption. Benefiting from both nano-size and magnetic properties, this adsorbent could be an effectively, cheaply and eco-friendly wastewater treatment means.

Stable three-dimensional colloidal crystals were fabricated in an aqueous suspension of Tris buffer at pH > 8. The basic building blocks of the crystals were submicron-sized polystyrene–polyglycidol core–shell particles (Dn(SEM) = 270 ± 18 nm) with covalently bound 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA). The growth of the crystals was triggered by a thermodynamically favorable arrangement of particles leading to their close packing and by the formation of covalent cross-links between the individual particles. Under alkaline conditions, molecules of l-DOPA are oxidized, which allows their participation in cross-linking, necessary for the stabilization of the formed colloidal crystals. The average size of the fabricated colloidal crystals is determined by their weight, density of the suspending medium, and the energy of their Brownian motion. Crystals generated during the suspension of particles fall down after reaching the critical weight. Therefore, crystals of similar dimensions are deposited at the bottom ...

Solid-state boron nuclear magnetic resonance (11B NMR) and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopies (PALS) were used to study the molecular structure of self-healing hydrogels based on cross-linked hyperbranched polyglycidol (HbPGL) with borax at basic pH. The lifetime and intensity of orthopositronium allowed characterizing the micro- and nanostucture of hydrogels at various thermal conditions. Stepwise changes in the free volume parameters were found in pure HbPGL as well as in hydrogels based on this polymer. However, the shift in the phase transition temperature suggests that the important properties of the hydrogel arise from the water building these systems. Rheological measurements demonstrated the subsequent reduction of the average cross-link lifetime within the polymer network under heating. Composition of boronic species within hydrogel systems also diverged upon change in temperature range from −10 °C to +70 °C. The reduced fraction of boronic diester upon heating was quantitatively rebui...

We present an unexpected self-assembly of a glycoluril clip–poly(e-caprolactone) conjugate in chloroform. The conjugate forms homodimer aggregates due to supramolecular interactions between glycoluril moieties, which was confirmed with MALDI-TOF-ms and 1H NMR. TEM revealed the formation of multilayered nanosized prism-shaped objects resembling tree bark in nature.

The kinetics of the self-assembly of poly(styrene/α-tert-butoxy-ω-vinylbenzyl-polyglycidol) microparticles on poly(allylamine hydrochloride)-derivatized silicon/silica substrate was determined by direct AFM imaging and streaming potential (SP) measurements. The kinetic runs acquired under diffusion-controlled transport were quantitatively interpreted in terms of the extended random sequential adsorption (RSA) model. This allowed confirmation of a core/shell morphology of the microparticles. The polyglycidol-rich shell of thickness equal to 25 nm exhibited a fuzzy structure that enabled penetration of particles into each other resulting in high coverage inaccessible for ordinary microparticles. The SP measurements interpreted by using the 3D electrokinetic model confirmed this microparticle structure. Additionally, the acid-base characteristics of the microparticle monolayers were determined for a broad pH range. By using the streaming potential measurements, human serum albumin (HSA) adsorption on the microparticle monolayers was investigated under in situ conditions. It was confirmed that the protein adsorption was considerably lower than for the reference case of bare silicon/silica substrate under the same physicochemical conditions. This effect was attributed to the presence of the shell diminishing the protein/microparticle physical interactions.

The methods of preparation and characterization of core-shell poly(styrene/α-tert-butoxy-ω-vinylbenzyl-polyglycidol) particles arranged in colloidal crystals are described. The particles were prepared via emulsifier free emulsion copolymerization of styrene and α-tert-butoxy-ω-vinylbenzyl-polyglycidol macromonomer in aqueous medium, initiated by potassium persulfate. The individual polymerizations differed in a way of addition of macromonomer to the polymerization mixture. The particles assemblies were characterized by atomic force microscopy, Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). In-depth distribution of chemical states was determined by XPS combined with argon gas cluster ion sputtering (Ar-GCIB). The morphology of microspheres assemblies reflected the composition of the entire particles. It was found that the method of macromonomer addition to the polymerization mixture affects the particles size, surface and overall morphology. The XPS profiles revealed the chemical composition of the particles arranged in multilayers. It was found that distribution of polyglycidol segments at the particles interfacial layer depends on the time and way of addition of macromonomer. The thickest outer layer composed from polystyrene-polyglycidol segments was obtained for particles when macromonomer was added at the beginning of polymerization.

Polyglycidol (or polyglycerol) is a biocompatible polymer with a main chain structure similar to that of poly(ethylene oxide) but with a –CH2OH reactive side group in every structural unit. The hydroxyl groups in polyglycidol not only increase the hydrophilicity of this polymer but also allow for its modification, leading to polymers with carboxyl, amine, and vinyl groups, as well as to polymers with bonded aliphatic chains, sugar moieties, and covalently immobilized bioactive compounds in particular proteins. The paper describes the current state of knowledge on the synthesis of polyglycidols with various topology (linear, branched, and star-like) and with various molar masses. We provide information on polyglycidol-rich surfaces with protein-repelling properties. We also describe methods for the synthesis of polyglycidol-containing copolymers and the preparation of nano- and microparticles that could be derived from these copolymers. The paper summarizes recent advances in the application of polyglycidol and polyglycidol-containing polymers as drug carriers, reagents for diagnostic systems, and elements of biosensors.

International audience; Homopolymer grafts from α-tert-butoxy-ω-vinylbenzyl-polyglycidol (PGL) were prepared on gold and stainless steel (SS) substrates modified by 4-benzoyl-phenyl (BP) moieties derived from the electroreduction of the parent salt 4-benzoyl benzene diazonium tetrafluoroborate. The grafted BP aryl groups efficiently served to surface-initiate photopolymerization (SIPP) of PGL. In similar conditions, SIPP of hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) permitted the production of PHEMA grafts as model surfaces. Water contact angles were found to be 66°, 15°, and 0° for SS-BP, SS-PHEMA, and SS-PPGL, respectively. The spontaneous spreading of water drops on SS-PPGL was invariably observed with 1.5 μL water drops. PPGL thus appears as a superhydrophilic polymer. Resistance to nonspecific adsorption of proteins of PPGL and PHEMA grafts on gold was evaluated by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) using antibovine serum albumin (anti-BSA). The results conclusively show that PPGL-grafts exhibit enhanced resistance to anti-BSA adsorption compared to the well-known hydrophilic PHEMA. PPGL grafts were further modified with BSA through the carbonyldiimidazole activation of the OH groups providing immunosensing surfaces. The so-prepared PPGL-grafted BSA hybrids specifically interacted with anti-BSA in PBS as compared to antimyoglobin. It is clear that the superhydrophilic character of PPGL grafts opens new avenues for biomedical applications where surfaces with dual functionality, namely, specific protein grafting together with resistance to biofouling, are required.