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Updated: Jun 1, 2026

A Facile and Efficient Approach for the Production of Reversible Disulfide Cross-linked Micelles
Published on: December 23, 2016
Encapsulation and enzyme-mediated release of molecular cargo in polysulfide nanoparticles
Brett L Allen1, Jermaine D Johnson, Jeremy P Walker
1FLIR Systems, Inc., 2240 William Pitt Way, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15238, United States. brett.allen@flir.com
Abstract:
Poly(propylene sulfide) nanoparticles (<150 nm) have been synthesized by an anionic, ring-opening emulsion polymerization. Upon exposure to parts per million (ppm) levels of oxidizing agent (NaOCl), hydrophobic polysulfide particles are oxidized to hydrophilic polysulfoxides and polysulfones. Utilizing this mechanism, the encapsulation of hydrophobic molecular cargo, including Nile red and Reichardt's dye, within polysulfide nanoparticles has been characterized by a variety of microscopic and spectroscopic methods and its release demonstrated via chemical oxidation. Moreover, release of cargo has been enzymatically driven by oxidoreductase enzymes such as chloroperoxidase and myeloperoxidase in the presence of low concentrations of sodium chloride (200 mM) and hydrogen peroxide (500 μM). This oxidation-driven mechanism holds promise for controlled encapsulation and release of a variety of hydrophobic cargos.
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