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Electroactive Polymer Nanoparticles Exhibiting Photothermal Properties

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New stimuli-responsive polymers derived from morpholine and pyrrolidine.

Diego Velasco¹, Carlos Elvira, Julio San Román

¹Department of Biomaterials, Institute of Polymer Science and Technology, CSIC, Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain.

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Area of Science:

Polymer Chemistry
Materials Science
Biomedical Engineering

Background:

Development of advanced materials for biomedical applications like drug delivery and tissue engineering is crucial.
Ionizable polymers offer tunable properties, making them attractive for smart hydrogel systems.

Purpose of the Study:

To synthesize and characterize three new ionizable monomers: N-ethyl morpholine methacrylate (EMM), N-ethyl morpholine methacrylamide (EMA), and N-ethyl pyrrolidine methacrylamide (EPA).
To investigate the properties of their corresponding homopolymers and crosslinked networks, focusing on their potential as smart hydrogels.

Main Methods:

Radical polymerization in solution was used to prepare homopolymers (poly-EMM, poly-EMA, poly-EPA).
Characterization involved NMR, FTIR spectroscopy, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) for glass transition temperatures, and pKa determination.
Crosslinked samples were synthesized using N,N-methylene bisacrylamide (BAam) and 1,3,5-triacryloylhexa-hydro-1,3,5-triazine (135-T) as crosslinkers.
Swelling kinetics were studied in pH buffer solutions (2, 7.4, 10) at 37°C.

Main Results:

The synthesized monomers and polymers were successfully characterized.
Glass transition temperatures and pKa values were determined for the systems.
Crosslinked hydrogels exhibited significant and pH-dependent swelling, with hydration degrees ranging from approximately 200% to 2,600%.
Swelling behavior varied based on pH and the type of crosslinker used.

Conclusions:

The new ionizable monomers and their derived polymers form hydrogel systems with tunable swelling properties.
These smart hydrogels demonstrate significant potential for applications in controlled drug delivery and tissue engineering.
The pH-responsive nature of these hydrogels allows for tailored material design based on specific application requirements.