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Electroactive and magnetoactive shape memory polymer nanocomposites (SMCs) are multistimuli-responsive smart materials that are of great interest in many research and industrial fields. In addition to thermoresponsive shape memory polymers, SMCs include nanofillers with suitable electric and/or magnetic properties that allow for alternative and remote methods of shape memory activation. This review discusses the state of the art on these electro- and magnetoactive SMCs and summarizes recently published investigations, together with relevant applications in several fields. Special attention is paid to the shape memory characteristics (shape fixity and shape recovery or recovery force) of these materials, as well as to the magnitude of the electric and magnetic fields required to trigger the shape memory characteristics.

The biocompatibility, tunable degradability and broad functionalities of polyphosphoesters and their potential for biomedical applications have stimulated a renewed interest from Chemistry, Medicinal Chemistry and Polymer Sciences. Commercial applications of polyphosphoesters as biomaterials are still hampered because of the time and resource-intensive sourcing of their corresponding monomers, in addition to the corrosive and sensitive nature of their intermediates and by-products. Here, we present a groundbreaking challenge for sourcing the corresponding cyclic phosphate monomers by a different approach. This approach relies on the use of continuous flow technologies to intensify the end-to-end preparation of cyclic phosphate monomers with a semi-continuous modular flow platform. The applied flow technology mitigates both safety and instability issues related to the more classical production of cyclic phosphate monomers. The first flow module allows safe synthesis of a library of cyclic chlorophosphite building blocks and features in-line P-31 NMR real-time monitoring. After optimization on the microfluidic scale, this first module is successfully transposed toward mesofluidic scale with a daily throughput of 1.88 kg. Downstream of the first module, a second module is present, allowing the quantitative conversion of cyclic chlorophosphites with molecular oxygen toward chlorophosphate derivatives within seconds. The two modules are concatenable with a downstream semi-batch quench of intermediate chlorophosphate with alcohols, hence affording the corresponding cyclic phosphate monomers. Such a continuous flow setup provides considerable unprecedented advantages to safely and efficiently synthesize a library of versatile high value-added cyclic phosphate monomers at large scale. These freshly produced monomers can be successfully (co)polymerized, using either batch or flow protocols, into well-defined polyphosphoesters with assessed thermal properties and cytotoxicity.

Polyurethane (PU) adhesives and coatings are widely used to fabricate high-quality materials due to their excellent properties and their versatile nature, which stems from the wide range of commercially available polyisocyanate and polyol precursors. This polymer family has traditionally been used in a wide range of adhesive applications including the bonding of footwear soles, bonding of wood (flooring) to concrete (subflooring), in the automotive industry for adhering different car parts, and in rotor blades, in which large surfaces are required to be adhered. Moreover, PUs are also frequently applied as coatings/paints for automotive finishes and can be applied over a wide range of substrates such as wood, metal, plastic, and textiles. One of the major drawbacks of this polymer family lies in the use of toxic isocyanate-based starting materials. In the context of the REACH regulation, which places restrictions on the use of substances containing free isocyanates, it is now urgent to find greener routes to PUs. While non-isocyanate polyurethanes (NIPUs) based on the polyaddition of poly(cyclic carbonate)s to polyamines have emerged in the past decade as greener alternatives to conventional PUs, their industrial implementation is at an early stage of development. In this review article, recent advances in the application of NIPUs in the field of adhesives and coatings are summarized. The article also draws attention to the opportunities and challenges of implementing NIPUs at the industrial scale.

Solid-state lithium batteries are considered one of the most promising battery systems due to their high volumetric energy density and safety. Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) is the most commonly used solid polymer electrolyte in solid-state batteries. In this article, we introduce new polyphosphoester polymer electrolytes, which show improved flame retardant properties in comparison with PEO. For this purpose, new polyphosphoester copolymers were synthesized, including phosphoester, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and UV cross-linkable vinyl units. Solid polymer electrolyte films based on polyphosphoester copolymers and lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) were prepared by curing under UV-light. The crystallinity present in the copolymers due to the PEG segment decreases with the amount of salt in the electrolyte, as seen by DSC. Solid polymer electrolytes based on polyphosphoester copolymers show ionic conductivity values as high as 2 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 70 °C. FTIR analysis showed that lithium cations complexed with phosphoester groups provoked an increase in the lithium transference number to 0.26 as compared to that of PEO 0.17. Pyrolysis flow combustion calorimetry (PCFC) or micro-calorimetry results demonstrated the improved flame retardancy of the polyphosphoesters in comparison to a reference PEO based polymer electrolyte. The selected polyphosphoester solid electrolyte was investigated in a solid-state lithium cell Li0/polymer electrolyte/LFP battery showing a specific capacity retention close to 80% and coulombic efficiency greater than 98% over 100 cycles at 70 °C.

The synthesis and properties of hybrid poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL)–poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) covalent adaptable networks have been investigated.

Triple negative or basal-like breast cancer (TNBC) is characterised by aggressive progression, lack of standard therapies and poorer overall survival rates for patients. The bad prognosis, high rate of relapse and resistance against anticancer drugs have been associated with a highly abnormal loss of redox control in TNBC cells. Here, we developed docetaxel (DTX)-loaded micellar-like nanoparticles (MLNPs), designed to address the aberrant TNBC biology through the placement of redox responsive cross-links designed into a terpolymer. The MLNPs were derived from poly(ethyleneglycol)-b-poly(lactide)-co-poly(N3-α-e-caprolactone) with a disulfide linker pendant from the caprolactone regions in order to cross-link adjacent chains. The terpolymer contained both polylactide and polycaprolactone to provide a balance of accessibility to reductive agents necessary to ensure stability in transit, but rapid micellar breakdown and concomitant drug release, when in breast cancer cells with increased levels of reducing agents. The empty MLNPs did not show any cytotoxicity in vitro in 2D monolayers of MDA-MB-231 (triple negative breast cancer), MCF7 (breast cancer) and MCF10A (normal breast epithelial cell line), whereas DTX-loaded reducible crosslinked MLNPs exhibited higher cytotoxicity against TNBC and breast cancer cells which present high intracellular levels of glutathione. Crosslinked and non-crosslinked MLNPs showed high and concentration-dependent cellular uptake in monolayers and tumour spheroids, including when assessed in co-cultures of TNBC cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts. DTX loaded crosslinked MLNPs showed the highest efficacy against 3D spheroids of TNBC, in addition the MLNPs also induced higher levels of apoptosis, as assessed by annexin V/PI assays and increased caspase 3/7 activity in MDA-MB-231 cells in comparison to cells treated with DTX-loaded un-crosslinked MLNP (used as a control) and free DTX. Taken together these data demonstrate that the terpolymer micellar-like nanoparticles with reducible crosslinks have high efficacy in both 2D and 3D in vitro cancer models by targeting the aberrant biology, i.e. loss of redox control of this type of tumour, thus may be promising and effective carrier systems for future clinical applications in TNBC.

The study deals with the catalytic cyclocarbonation of epoxides to produce monomers used in the synthesis of polyurethane. A benchmark study of the textural properties of silica-based, doped or not, supports enabling the identification and optimization of the key parameters affecting the catalytic activity is reported. The results reveal that ammonium catalysts immobilized onto mesostructured supports with high surface area and low aggregation show better catalytic performances than analogue catalysts grafted onto microstuctured ones. While a high external surface area favours the grafting of ammonium salt, pore size must be large enough to enhance the accessibility of both carbon dioxide and epoxides to the catalytic sites. The activity of heterogeneous catalysts was evaluated for a model coupling reaction between carbon dioxide and propylene glycol diglycidylether. Using appropriated supports, cyclocarbonation yields are found to be higher in the presence of the heterogeneous catalyst in comparison with the homogeneous one. These results allow to confirm the beneficial effect of the presence of residual OH silanol groups at the surface of the support, which activate epoxide through forming of hydrogen bonds.

Different types of heterogeneous catalysts designed for a cyclocarbonation reaction between an epoxidized source and CO2 under supercritical conditions have been synthesized. The process implied a quaternization step where a (haloalkyl)trimethoxysilane reacted with tributylamine leading to a tributyl(trimethoxysilylalkyl)ammonium halide, with iodine and bromine as halogens. Then, a grafting step onto commercial fumed silica through condensation reaction between the silane part and Si OH surficial groups provided the immobilized catalyst. The efficiency of grafting has been validated by liquid 1H NMR, solid 29Si NMR and TG-DSC-MS analyzes. The benchmark cyclocarbonation reaction of polyethylene glycol diglycidylether at 80 °C and 100 bar during 4 h showed that the best immobilized catalyst was tributylpropylammonium iodide (IC3Q-EH5). It has also been shown that immobilization provided -surprisingly!- better conversions than the corresponding homogeneous catalyst’s: this phenomenon has been explained through an epoxide-ring-opening activating effect thanks to Si−OH surficial groups. Furthermore, kinetic studies performed by in situ Raman spectroscopy on IC3Q-EH5 showed that temperature had a strong influence on the yield of the reaction while CO2 pressure had only a small effect. Recycling of the catalyst has also been considered, but no precise conclusions could be conducted because of the high catalyst dispersion. Finally, the addition of a fluorinated alcohol co-catalyst allowed obtaining a similar yield but at 80 °C and 55 bar during only 2,5 h with the best candidate.

alpha-Alkylidene cyclic carbonates (alpha CCs) recently emerged as attractive CO2-sourced synthons for the construction of complex organic molecules. Herein, we report the transformation of alpha CCs into novel families of sulfur-containing compounds by organocatalyzed chemoselective addition of thiols, following a domino process that is switched on/off depending on the desired product. The process is extremely fast and versatile in substrate scope, provides selectively linear thiocarbonates or elusive tetrasubstituted ethylene carbonates with high yields following a 100 % atom economy reaction, and valorizes CO2 as a renewable feedstock. It is also exploited to produce a large diversity of unprecedented functional polymers. It constitutes a robust platform for the design of new sulfur-containing organic synthons and important families of polymers.

Organic electrode materials capable of reversible coordination/uncoordination of both mono- and multivalent ions in aqueous electrolytes are desired to develop safe, sustainable, and cost-effective water-based batteries. Here, we demonstrate the universality of bioinspired redox-active polymers bearing catechol pendants to reversibly coordinate/uncoordinate numerous cations including H+ and Li+ to Zn2+ and Al3+ with fast kinetics and ultralong cyclability. This unprecedented versatility is based on a catecholato–metal cation complex (Cat2–(mMn+)) charge storage mechanism that dictates the overall electrochemistry: formation of stronger complexes in M+ < M2+ < M3+ order resulted in a huge redox potential increment that might be used to tune the operating voltage of the battery.

New biomimetic micro- and nano-CsU-based fibrous scaffolds electrospun from solution containing high purity-medical grade chitosan (CsU) of fungus origin (CsU1, Mv ~174,000 and CsU2, 205,000, degree of deacetylation (DDA) ~65%) and polyethylene oxide (PEO, Mv ~ 900,000), in the presence of given amounts of Triton X-100 (from 0.01 to 0.5 wt%) as surfactant were fabricated. We demonstrate that by carefully selecting compositions and surfactant levels, porous mats with CsU content up to 90% (at this molecular weight and DDA) were achieved. Remarkable long-term stability in water or phosphate buffer solution storage were obtained by developing post-electrospinning treatment allowing the complete elimination of the PEO from the CsU-fibers as demonstrated by TGA, DSC and ESEM analysis. Subsequent reacetylation procedure was applied to convert 2D biomimetic chitosan mats to chitin (CsE)-based ones while preserving the nanofiber structure. This innovative procedure allows tuning and modifying the thermal, mechanical properties and more importantly the biodegradation abilities (fast enzymatic biodegradation in some cases and slower on the others) of the prepared nanofibrous mats. The established reproducible method offers the unique advantage to modulate the membrane properties leading to stable 2D biomimetic CsU and/or chitin (CsE) scaffolds tailor-made for specific purposes in the field of tissue engineering.

Simple Summary Only 13 to 50% of patients with metastatic melanoma respond to new commercialized therapies. The reason why the same chemotherapeutic treatments yield different responses in patients can be attributed to the degree of multidrug resistance (MDR) developed by the host tumor cells. For instance, the glycolytic metabolism of cancer cells enhances the intratumoral accumulation of lactic acid, decreases intratumoral pH and potentiates MDR. Lipid nanoparticles (LNC) have been widely exploited as carriers of MDR reversing molecules. In this study, we proposed to modify LNC with novel copolymers to impart stealth properties and to improve tumor cell entry. Modified-LNC showed in vitro pH-responsive properties characterized by an enhanced cellular uptake under acidic conditions. Moreover, surface modification led to an increased biological effect by protecting the nanocarrier from opsonization by complement activation. These data suggest that pH-sensitive LNC are promising nanocarriers to target metastatic melanoma. Abstract Despite significant advances in melanoma therapy, low response rates and multidrug resistance (MDR) have been described, reducing the anticancer efficacy of the administered molecules. Among the causes to explain these resistances, the decreased intratumoral pH is known to potentiate MDR and to reduce the sensitivity to anticancer molecules. Nanomedicines have been widely exploited as the carriers of MDR reversing molecules. Lipid nanocapsules (LNC) are nanoparticles that have already demonstrated their ability to improve cancer treatment. Here, LNC were modified with novel copolymers that combine N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) to impart stealth properties and vinyl imidazole (Vim), providing pH-responsive ability to address classical chemoresistance by improving tumor cell entry. These copolymers could be post-inserted at the LNC surface, leading to the property of going from neutral charge under physiological pH to positive charge under acidic conditions. LNC modified with polymer P5 (C18H37-P(NVP21-co-Vim15)) showed in vitro pH-responsive properties characterized by an enhanced cellular uptake under acidic conditions. Moreover, P5 surface modification led to an increased biological effect by protecting the nanocarrier from opsonization by complement activation. These data suggest that pH-sensitive LNC responds to what is expected from a promising nanocarrier to target metastatic melanoma.

The curcumin degradation represents a significant limitation for its applications. The stability of free curcumin (FC) and immobilized curcumin in complex particles (ComPs) based on different polysaccharides was studied under the action of several factors. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy proved the FC photodegradation and its role as a metal chelator: 82% of FC and between 26% and 39.79% of curcumin within the ComPs degraded after exposure for 28 days to natural light. The degradation half-life (t1/2) decreases for FC when the pH increases, from 6.8 h at pH = 3 to 2.1 h at pH = 9. For curcumin extracted from ComPs, t1/2 was constant (between 10 and 13 h) and depended on the sample’s composition. The total phenol (TPC) and total flavonoids (TFC) content values increased by 16% and 13%, respectively, for FC exposed to ultraviolet light at λ = 365 nm (UVA), whereas no significant change was observed for immobilized curcumin. Antioxidant activity expressed by IC50 (µmoles/mL) for FC exposed to UVA decreased by 29%, but curcumin within ComPs was not affected by the UVA. The bovine serum albumin (BSA) adsorption efficiency on the ComPs surface depends on the pH value and the cross-linking degree. ComPs have a protective role for the immobilized curcumin.

This works investigates in detail the electro-thermo-mechanical properties of a shape memory composite (SMC) during shape memory cycles in which the heating is a result of resistive heating. The SMC is a covalently cross-linked poly(ϵ-caprolactone) network filled with 3 wt% of multiwall carbon nanotubes. The characterization is performed with the help of a custom-made tensile test bench that is able to couple the mechanical characterization with the thermal and electrical ones. A proportional integral controller using the lambda tuning method is used in order to control the temperature achieved by resistive heating of the SMC. The electrical resistivity of the SMC shows a non-linear and non-monotonic dependence on temperature and strain. The resistivity is also found to vary among successive shape memory cycles, suggesting that a (first) training cycle is necessary not only to stabilize the mechanical but also the electrical properties of the SMC. A fuzzy logic controller for constant load control is also used to investigate the strain variation with temperature related to the two-way shape memory effect of the SMC. The results give evidence of the strong interplay between the electrical and (thermo-)mechanical characteristics of electroactive SMCs.

International audience; Chemokines such as stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) regulate the migration of cancer cells that can spread from their primary tumor site by migrating up an SDF-1α concentration gradient, facilitating their local invasion and metastasis. Therefore, the implantation of SDF-1α-releasing scaffolds can be a useful strategy to trap cancer cells expressing the CXCR4 receptor. In this work, SDF-1α was encapsulated into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-based nanoparticles and subsequently electrospun with chitosan to produce nanofibrous scaffolds of average fiber diameter of 261 ± 45 nm, intended for trapping glioblastoma (GBM) cells. The encapsulated SDF-1α maintained its biological activity after the electrospinning process as assessed by its capacity to induce the migration of cancer cells. The scaffolds could also provide sustained release of SDF-1α for at least 5 weeks. Using NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts, human Thp-1 macrophages, and rat primary astrocytes we showed that the scaffolds possessed high cytocompatibility in vitro. Furthermore, a 7-day follow-up of Fischer rats bearing implanted scaffolds demonstrated the absence of adverse effects in vivo. In addition, the nanofibrous structure of the scaffolds provided excellent anchoring sites to support the adhesion of human GBM cells by extension of their pseudopodia. The scaffolds also demonstrated slow degradation kinetics, which may be useful in maximizing the time window for trapping GBM cells. As surgical resection does not permit a complete removal of GBM tumors, our results support the future implantation of these scaffolds into the walls of the resection cavity to evaluate their capacity to attract and trap the residual GBM cells in the brain.

Capillarity driven self-assembly is a way to create spontaneous structures along liquid interfaces in between bottom-up and top-down fabrication methods. Based on multipolar capillary interactions between elementary floating object, simple to complex structures can been achieved by designing objects with specific 3D shapes. We show herein that a switchable self-assembled structure can be obtained with a shape memory polymer. At a defined temperature of the liquid, the 3D shape of each elementary floating object changes, modifying the capillary interactions thus forcing the stable structure to disassemble and to form a new arrangement. Based on simulations and experiments, we study how this cooperative behavior induces metastable complex configurations.

Polyurethane (PU) foams are indisputably daily essential materials found in many applications, notably for comfort (for example, matrasses) or energy saving (for example, thermal insulation). Today, greener routes for their production are intensively searched for to avoid the use of toxic isocyanates. An easily scalable process for the simple construction of self-blown isocyanate-free PU foams by exploiting the organocatalyzed chemo- and regioselective additions of amines and thiols to easily accessible cyclic carbonates is described. These reactions are first validated on model compounds and rationalized by DFT calculations. Various foams are then prepared and characterized in terms of morphology and mechanical properties, and the scope of the process is illustrated by modulating the composition of the reactive formulation. With impressive diversity and accessibility of the main components of the formulations, this new robust and solvent-free process could open avenues for construction of more sustainable PU foams, and offers the first realistic alternative to the traditional isocyanate route.

International audience; Herein, we propose a critical study balancing two metal-free dual activating systems, namely DBU/EtBr and TEA/TsCl, for the coupling of CO2 with 1,x-diols to afford (a)cyclic carbonates. In-situ ATR-IR monitoring correlated with DFT calculations led to mechanism propositions for the model formation of propylene carbonate from propylene glycol. Kinetics upon various experimental conditions were established for the first time, leading to an optimized synthetic protocol. The substrates scope was then investigated and selectivities toward the formation of cyclic or linear carbonates were correlated to the dual activating system and the diol structure. By choosing the suitable organic dual activating system, one is able to control the product selectivity to substituted ethylene-or trimethylene carbonate and/or acyclic compounds, providing a powerful tool to synthesize CO2-based precursors that are highly relevant for organic and polymer chemistry from ubiquitous building blocks.

Introduction: We hypothesised that the active targeting of αvβ3 integrin overexpressed in neoangiogenic blood vessels and glioblastoma (GBM) cells combined with magnetic targeting of paclitaxel- and SPIO-loaded PLGA-based nanoparticles could improve accumulation of nanoparticles in the tumour and therefore improve the treatment of GBM. Methods: PTX/SPIO PLGA nanoparticles with or without RGD-grafting were characterised. Their in vitro cellular uptake and cytotoxicity was evaluated by fluorospectroscopy and MTT assay. In vivo safety and anti-tumour efficacy of different targeting strategies were evaluated in orthotopic U87MG tumour model over multiple intravenous injections. Results: The nanoparticles of 250 nm were negatively charged. RGD targeted nanoparticles showed a specific and higher cellular uptake than untargeted nanoparticles by activated U87MG and HUVEC cells. In vitro IC50 of PTX after 48 h was ∼1 ng/mL for all the PTX-loaded nanoparticles. The median survival time of the mice treated with magnetic targeted nanoparticles was higher than the control (saline) mice or mice treated with other evaluated strategies. The 6 doses of PTX did not induce any detectable toxic effects on liver, kidney and heart when compared to Taxol. Conclusion: The magnetic targeting strategy resulted in a better therapeutic effect than the other targeting strategies (passive, active).

International audience; An environmentally-friendly process to prepare well-defined cross-linked particles of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) was investigated. The dispersion polymerisation of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with a cross-linker ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) was performed in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO 2). Stabilisers based only on vinyl acetate (VAc) and vinyl pivalate (VPi) random copolymers P(VAc-stat-VPi) were employed thus avoiding the use of silicone or fluorine based stabilisers which are normally required in scCO2. The effect of molecular weight and composition of the P(VAc-stat-VPi) stabilisers on the size and shape of the produced microparticles was investigated. A copolymer stabiliser with 56:44 (VAc:VPi) molar composition (Mn = 12.8 kg mol-1) was found to be the most efficient, resulting in welldefined spherical cross-linked PHEMA particles with a diameter of 1.2 µm. This particular stabiliser was found to provide good steric stabilisation for a range of cross-linker ratios and the addition of a co-monomer such as N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) allowed tuning of the properties of the microparticulate products. Finally, the stabiliser plays a second very important role. Partial hydrolysis of the ester groups of the stabiliser located on the surface of the microparticles leads to a hydrophilic surface with alcohol moieties and hence facilitates dispersion of the microparticles into water leading to valuable microgels.

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(vinyl amine) (PVAm) are major industrial polymers involved in countless applications taking advantage of their ability to establish hydrogen bonds and, for the latter, to create charges along the polymer's backbone upon protonation. Although combining vinyl alcohol and vinyl amine units in specific proportions within copolymers should allow precise tuning of their properties and enlarge the scope of their use, the controlled synthesis of poly(VAm-co-VA)s has been completely disregarded so far. In this context, we report a straightforward strategy for preparing the aforementioned copolymers via cobalt-mediated radical copolymerization of vinyl acetate (VAc) and vinyl acetamide (NVA) followed by hydrolysis. Copolymerization conditions were optimized to produce poly(NVA-co-VAc) with predictable molar mass, low dispersity and precise composition. Reactivity ratios were also determined to gain insight into the distribution of the amine and alcohol moieties along the backbone. Depending on the hydrolysis treatment applied to poly(NVA-co-VAc), unprecedented well-defined poly(VAm-co-VA)s and poly(NVA-co-VA)s were achieved via full deprotection of the precursor and selective hydrolysis of its esters, respectively.

Carbon dioxide offers an accessible, cheap and renewable carbon feedstock for synthesis. Current interest in the area of carbon dioxide valorisation aims at new, emerging technologies that are able to provide new opportunities to turn a waste into value. Polymers are among the most widely produced chemicals in the world greatly affecting the quality of life. However, there are growing concerns about the lack of reuse of the majority of the consumer plastics and their after-life disposal resulting in an increasing demand for sustainable alternatives. New monomers and polymers that can address these issues are therefore warranted, and merging polymer synthesis with the recycling of carbon dioxide offers a tangible route to transition towards a circular economy. Here, an overview of the most relevant and recent approaches to CO2-based monomers and polymers are highlighted with particular emphasis on the transformation routes used and their involved manifolds.

Charged nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning (ESP) poly(e-caprolactone) with a copolymer bearing carboxylic acid functions. The presence of these functions allowed exposing some negative charges on the fiber surface, by dipping the fibers in a phosphate buffer. A layer of chitosan, a polycation in acidic medium, was then deposited on the nanofiber surface, thanks to electrostatic attraction. Fibers were characterized at each step of the process and the influence of the copolymer architecture on chitosan deposition was discussed. The antibacterial activity of the resulting fibers was finally assessed.

Here we report that grafting temperature-responsive polymers onto hyaluronic acid allows temperature-induced self-assembly into nanogels with tunable size. These nanogels can be easily loaded with hydrophobic molecules and hold potential for anti-cancer drug delivery towards human ovarian cancer cells.

International audience; In the past few decades, various nanovehicles have been developed as drug delivery systems, in which inorganic and organic components are integrated within a nano-object. Upon the application of remote stimuli, e.g. alternating magnetic field, near infrared or ultrasound radiations, the release of guest molecules can be triggered in a quite controlled manner. Herein, we review different hybrid nanostructures which have already been reported for the remotely triggered release, such as those based on (1) host–guest conjugates, (2) core–corona nanoparticles, (3) polymer nanogels, (4) polymer micelles, (5) liposomes, (6) mesoporous silica particles and (7) hollow nanoparticles. Moreover, we also summarize six underlying mechanisms that govern such a kind of remotely triggered release behaviours: (1) enhanced diffusion and/or permeation, (2) thermo- or photo-labile bond cleavage, (3) fusion of phase-changed materials, (4) photo-induced isomerisation, (5) thermo-induced swelling/de-swelling of thermo-responsive polymers, and (6) destruction of the nanostructures. The ways in which different components are incorporated into an integrated hybrid nanostructure and how they contribute to the remotely triggered release behaviours are detailed.

Curcumin has essential therapeutic benefits, but it is insoluble in water and thus has low bioavailability. This study aimed to immobilize curcumin into new polysaccharide-based microparticles (gellan, i-carrageenan, and chitosan) to increase its stability and bioavailability. Curcumin-loaded complex microparticles were obtained from three polysaccharides, of different ionic character, by ionic cross-linking and polyelectrolyte complexation. The immobilization efficiency was between 85.75% and 97.25%. The microparticles were characterized morphologically by SEM, and it was observed that the microparticles containing the i-carrageenan had a more pronounced porosity of the matrix. The swelling degree values at pH = 7.4 were superior to those obtained at pH = 6.8 or pH = 2 and depend on both the cross-linking degree and particles morphology. The polysaccharides microparticles, curcumin, and constituent polysaccharides were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy. The curcumin release kinetics was studied in three different pH media, and the release efficiency ranged between 65.1% and 97.9% at pH = 7.4, between 60.2% and 82.2% at pH = 6.8 and between 56.1% and 64.0% at pH = 2. These microparticles can be intended for oral administration, having as therapeutic target the colon, for the controlled release of curcumin, since they can overcome the gastric barrier without the degradation of the active principle, which is protected by the polymer matrix.

International audience; Poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) fibers were impregnated with the anti-inflammatory drug ketoprofen by supercritical CO 2 (scCO 2) assisted impregnation process, to develop drug-eluting absorbable sutures. This work indicates the possibility to tune not only the drug loading but also the release profile of ketoprofen from PLLA by modifying the impregnation (temperature and pressure) and depressurization (temperature and rate) conditions. Different PLLA sutures that release ketoprofen during 3 days up to 3 months were obtained. The release was shown to be governed by two parameters: the degradation rate of PLLA, that increases with the drug impregnation, and the sutures free volume, that was created due to scCO 2 sorbed and was partially conserved during depressurization. The degradation rate and the tensile strength loss of the suture are accelerated by ketoprofen since it catalyzes PLLA acid hydrolysis.

Polymer characterizations are often performed using mass spectrometry (MS). Aside from MS and different tandem MS (MS/MS) techniques, ion mobility–mass spectrometry (IM-MS) has been recently added to the inventory of characterization technique. However, only few studies have focused on the reproducibility and robustness of polymer IM-MS analyses. Here, we perform collisional and electron-mediated activation of polymer ions before measuring IM drift times, collision cross-sections (CCS), or reduced ion mobilities (K0). The resulting IM behavior of different activated product ions is then compared to non-activated native intact polymer ions. First, we analyzed collision induced unfolding (CIU) of precursor ions to test the robustness of polymer ion shapes. Then, we focused on fragmentation product ions to test for shape retentions from the precursor ions: cation ejection species (CES) and product ions with m/z and charge state values identical to native intact polymer ions. The CES species are formed using both collision induced dissociation (CID) and electron transfer dissociation (ETD, formally ETnoD) experiments. Only small drift time, CCS, or K0 deviations between the activated/formed ions are observed compared to the native intact polymer ions. The polymer ion shapes seem to depend solely on their mass and charge state. The experiments were performed on three synthetic homopolymers: poly(ethoxy phosphate) (PEtP), poly(2-n-propyl-2-oxazoline) (Pn-PrOx), and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). These results confirm the robustness of polymer ion CCSs for IM calibration, especially singly charged polymer ions. The results are also discussed in the context of polymer analyses, CCS predictions, and probing ion–drift gas interaction potentials.

Antimicrobial peptide loaded poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) particles were synthesized in supercritical carbon dioxide via one-pot free-radical dispersion polymerisation of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate and a cross-linker. Discrete particles with a well-defined spherical morphology and a diameter as low as 450 nm have been obtained in mild conditions. The encapsulation and release of the peptide were confirmed by antimicrobial tests that demonstrated for the first time a sustained release of the peptide from poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) microgels prepared by one-pot dispersion polymerization in supercritical carbon dioxide and then dispersed in water.

Green routes for the synthesis of high-performance isocyanate-free polyurethane coatings and adhesives are intensively searched for. In this article, we report a solvent- and isocyanate-free formul...

We report on the synthesis of a new polymer ionic liquid (PIL) based on polyvinylimidazolium bearing a pendent nitroxide radical on each monomer unit. Firstly, the quaternization of 1-vinylimidazole by a brominated alkoxyamine, i.e. a protected tetramethylpiperidinyloxy (TEMPO) nitroxide, was achieved. Then, the bromide anion was substituted by anion exchange reaction for the bis(trifluoro-methanesulfonyl)imide (TFSI) anion. The as-obtained monomer was successfully polymerized by free radical polymerization at low temperature (40 °C) by using 2,2′-azobis(4-methoxy-2.4-dimethyl valeronitrile) as initiator. Finally, the C O bond of the alkoxyamine pendant groups was thermally cleaved releasing the redox-active TEMPO nitroxide radicals. The PIL bearing TEMPO groups was coated onto a carbon nanotubes buckypaper and tested as cathode in a lithium ion battery. Such battery remarkably exhibits a high charge/discharge rate capability, e.g. at 60C the full charge is reached in 1 min and a high cycling stability; 100% of the initial capacity 60 mA h/g is kept after 1300 cycles.

Since its first description, ADAMTS14 has been considered as an aminoprocollagen peptidase based on its high similarity with ADAMTS3 and ADAMTS2. As its importance for procollagen processing was never experimentally demonstrated in vivo , we generated Adamts14 -deficient mice. They are healthy, fertile and display normal aminoprocollagen processing. They were further crossed with Adamts2 -deficient mice to evaluate potential functional redundancies between these two highly related enzymes. Initial characterizations made on young Adamts2-Adamts14 -deficient animals showed the same phenotype as that of Adamts2 -deficient mice, with no further reduction of procollagen processing and no significant aggravation of the structural alterations of collagen fibrils. However, when evaluated at older age, Adamts2-Adamts14 -deficient mice surprisingly displayed epidermal lesions, appearing in 2 month-old males and later in some females, and then worsening rapidly. Immunohistological evaluations of skin sections around the lesions revealed thickening of the epidermis, hypercellularity in the dermis and extensive infiltration by immune cells. Additional investigations, performed on young mice before the formation of the initial lesions, revealed that the primary cause of the phenotype was not related to alterations of the epidermal barrier but was rather the result of an abnormal activation and differentiation of T lymphocytes towards a Th1 profile. However, the primary molecular defect probably does not reside in the immune system itself since irradiated Adamts2-Adamts14 -deficient mice grafted with WT immune cells still developed lesions. While originally created to better characterize the common and specific functions of ADAMTS2 and ADAMTS14 in extracellular matrix and connective tissues homeostasis, the Adamts2-Adamts14 -deficient mice revealed an unexpected but significant role of ADAMTS in the regulation of immune system, possibly through a cross-talk involving mesenchymal cells and the TGFβ pathways.

In this work, the redispersion of three nanocrystalline TiO2 colloids is studied: one pure and two Fe-doped titania. These three colloids are produced by an easy aqueous sol–gel synthesis using precipitation-acidic peptization of Ti precursor. For the two Fe-doped TiO2, one is doped during synthesis (primary doping) and the other is doped after the synthesis (secondary doping). The initial colloids are composed of crystalline TiO2 particles around 7 nm with good photocatalytic properties, tested on PNP degradation under visible light (wavelength >390 nm). The powders obtained by air drying of these three colloids are redispersed in water to produce colloids, which are compared to the initial colloid produced. For each colloid, five cycles of drying redispersion are achieved. The colloids are characterized by dynamic light scattering, zeta potential measurements, inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption–desorption measurements, Mossbauer spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and photocatalytic tests. The results show that similar products are obtained between the cycles, maintaining homologous properties of colloids. This property of redispersion is mainly due to the acid (HNO3, HCl, or H2SO4) which protonates the surface of the TiO2 nanoparticle leading to high-surface charges and electrostatic repulsions between aggregates. This property can be very useful for industrial applications of this synthesis, especially as it allows the volume and weight to be reduced for transportation and storage. Moreover, results show that the pure TiO2 powder can be doped during its redispersion step. The redispersion of the TiO2 developed here is possible without surface functionalization or multiple step processes, contrary to commercial Degussa P25. A 2-year stability study of all the produced colloids has been performed by following the evolution of the macroscopic aspect and the physicochemical properties of these sols. This study showed high stability of the produced colloids.

This review reports the recent advances in the most important and straightforward synthetic protocols for incorporating catechols into (bio)polymers, and discusses the emerging applications of these innovative multifunctional materials in biomedical, energy storage and environmental applications. In the last five years, new well-defined polymer structures with tuneable composition and functionality were introduced by the careful combination of catechol protection/deprotection chemistry with controlled polymerization techniques. These new synthetic pathways have facilitated the optimal design of the material that perfectly fits the target application. Although most current researches exploit the adhesive properties of catechols for designing glues or (multi)functional coatings, recent breakthroughs have shown that catechols have much more to offer in other areas, especially those where they act as reversible redox units to store electrons/metal cations for the design of “next-generation” safe, economical and sustainable energy storage devices. These emerging applications of potential high impact in our daily life are now discussed in this review together with the new synthetic routes to unprecedented precise catechol-bearing polymers. Additional objectives of this review are to discuss some important critical issues regarding the stability and reactivity of catechols, and to propose our vision for the future development of this field.

Ion Mobility (IM) coupled to Mass Spectrometry (MS) has been used for several decades, bringing a fast separation dimension to the MS detection. IM-MS is a convenient tool for structural elucidation. The folding of macromolecules is often assessed with the support of computational chemistry. However, this strategy is strongly dependent on computational initial guesses. Here, we propose the analysis of the Collision Cross-Section (CCS) trends of synthetic homopolymers based on a fitting method which does not rely on computational chemistry a prioris of the three-dimensional structures. The CCS trends were evaluated as a function of the polymer chain length and the charge state. This method is also applicable to mobility trends. It leads to two parameters containing all information available through IM(-MS) measurements. One parameter can be interpreted as an apparent density. The second parameter is related to the shape of the ions and leads us to introduce the concept of trends with constant apparent density. Based on the two fitting parameters, a method for IM trend predictions is elaborated. Experimental deviations from the predictions facilitate detecting structural rearrangements and three-dimensional structure differences of the cationized polymer ions. This leads for instance to an easy identification and prediction of the presence of different polymer topologies in complex polymer mixtures. The classification of predicted trends could as well allow for software-assisted data processing. Finally, we suggest the link between the CCS trends of homopolymers and those obtained from (monodisperse) biomolecules to interpret potential folding differences during IM-MS studies.

The synthesis of α-alkylidene cyclic carbonates (αCCs) by carboxylative coupling of CO2 with propargylic alcohols is receiving increasing interest but requires the use of catalysts that are most often added in large quantity and/or are lacking of selectivity. Herein, we describe that the fine-tuning of the structure of organocatalysts of the ammonium-type enables to identify the important structural parameters that dictate their catalytic performance. Tetrabutylammonium oxalate revealed to be one of the most attractive organocatalysts with a remarkable fast, complete and selective production of αCCs at low catalyst loading (2.5 mol%) under solvent free-conditions. This study clearly opens new avenues for the facile and selective synthesis of libraries of αCCs from CO2 and propargylic alcohol by using simple organocatalysts.

This work investigates in detail the Joule resistive heating phenomenon of electroactive shape memory composites (SMC) when an electric current is injected at constant power. The SMC is a covalent poly(ϵ-caprolactone) network filled with 3 wt% of multiwall carbon nanotubes. The resistive heating of the SMC is studied by means of surface temperature measurements, analytical formulas and a coupled 3D thermo-electric numerical model. Analytical expressions are derived for the 2D temperature distribution within a parallelepipedic SMC, either with constant or linearly-dependent electrical resistivity. These analytical expressions can be used to investigate the influence of geometrical and material parameters in the steady-state temperature and its distribution across the sample. The results also allow one to identify the parameters that are crucial for predicting the temperature rise due to resistive heating: the temperature dependence of the resistivity has little effect on the steady-state temperature, whereas the thermal conductivity plays a significant role. The time-dependent temperature is shown to be related to the particular temperature dependence of heat capacity. Furthermore, the presence of external objects (clamps or grips) used during the shape memory cycle must be taken into consideration for a certain temperature to be reached since they result in a lower steady-state temperature and a slower resistive heating phenomenon. With the findings presented in this work, accurate resistive heating can be predicted for a SMC upon the injection of an electric current at constant power.

Hierarchical porous N-doped carbon (NPC) is prepared by pyrolysis of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) particles decorated by graphene oxide (GO) and polypyrrole (PPy) as precursors and used as anode for lithium-ion batteries. The composite precursors with different diameter and composition (PMMA/GO/PPy-A and B) were conveniently prepared by dispersion polymerization of methyl methacrylate in the presence of graphene oxide as stabilizer in aqueous medium, followed by addition of pyrrole and its oxidative polymerization. After pyrolysis, the resulting NPC composites with hierarchically structured macro- and mesopores exhibit high surface area (289–398 m2/g) and different N-doping levels (7.46 and 4.22 wt% of nitrogen content). The NPC with the highest N-doping level (7.46 wt%) shows high reversible capacities of 831 mAh/g at 74.4 mA/g (C/5) after 50 cycles and excellent rate performances.