Natural polyampholyte-based core-shell nanoparticles with N-carboxyethylchitosan-containing core and poly(ethylene...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Natural polyampholytes offer unique properties for nanomaterial synthesis.
• Polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) formation is a versatile method for creating nanostructures.
• Block copolymers with hydrophilic segments are useful for shell formation in nanoparticles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize core-shell nanoparticles using N-carboxyethylchitosan (CECh) as a core material.
• To investigate the formation of these nanoparticles through PEC interactions with block copolymers.
• To characterize the resulting nanoparticles and understand the factors influencing their formation and properties.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of core-shell nanoparticles via PEC formation between CECh and block copolymers.
• Utilizing quaternized poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (quaternized PDMAEMA-b-PEO) as a polycation.
• Employing sodium poly[2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonate]-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PAMPSNa-b-PEO) as a polyanion.
• Characterization using dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

Main Results:

• Successfully prepared spherical core-shell nanoparticles with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) shells from CECh.
• Nanoparticle formation was achieved in both basic and acidic conditions.
• Particle size ranged from 230-450 nm, influenced by copolymer type, molar mass, pH, and ionic strength.
• Characterization confirmed the core-shell structure and elucidated the role of CECh's polyampholytic nature and host-guest interactions.

Conclusions:

• Core-shell nanoparticles can be effectively synthesized from the natural polyampholyte CECh.
• The PEC formation strategy with specific block copolymers provides control over nanoparticle morphology and size.
• These findings open avenues for utilizing CECh-based nanoparticles in various applications requiring controlled nanostructures.