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Fabrication and characterization of structurally stable pH-responsive polymeric vesicles by polymerization-induced
Fen Zhang1, Yanling Niu2, Yantao Li1
1Institute of Energy Resources, Hebei Academy of Sciences 050081 Shijiazhuang Hebei Province China fen.zhang1105@hotmail.com.
RSC Advances
|April 28, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed stable, pH-responsive polymeric vesicles using reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. These smart vesicles, made from DIPEMA and GlyMA, show potential for cell-like functions and industrial scale-up.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Chemistry
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Developing smart polymeric vesicles with tunable properties is crucial for advanced applications.
- Existing methods often lack control over vesicle morphology and stability.
- Functional groups like tertiary amines and epoxies offer unique responsive and cross-linking capabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To fabricate novel smart polymeric vesicles with both tertiary amine and epoxy groups.
- To investigate the polymerization kinetics and morphology evolution.
- To evaluate the pH-responsiveness and structural stability of the fabricated vesicles.
Main Methods:
- Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) dispersion polymerization using DIPEMA and GlyMA.
- In situ polymerization monitoring to analyze molecular weight distributions and intermediate structures.
- Phase diagram construction for reproducible vesicle synthesis.
- Epoxydiamine chemistry for core cross-linking.
Main Results:
- Successfully synthesized polymeric vesicles with tertiary amine and epoxy functionalities.
- Observed sphere-to-worm morphological transitions during polymerization.
- Demonstrated superior structural stability and pH-responsive swelling/shrinking behavior after cross-linking.
- Established a phase diagram correlating copolymer composition with vesicle morphology.
Conclusions:
- A novel method for producing structurally stable, pH-responsive polymeric vesicles was developed.
- The vesicles exhibit cell-like transmission functions due to their responsive behavior.
- The use of commercially available materials suggests potential for industrial scale-up.
