Synthesis of zwitterionic polyelectrolyte nanogels via electrostatic-templated polymerization

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Zwitterionic polyelectrolyte nanogels are promising nanocarriers due to their unique charge properties and soft structure.
• Existing methods for nanogel synthesis often lack control over size and specific functionalities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a facile and robust strategy for synthesizing zwitterionic nanogels with controlled size and properties.
• To demonstrate the potential of these nanogels as carriers for charged molecules.

Main Methods:

• Electrostatic-templated polymerization (ETP) using anionic-neutral diblock polymers as templates.
• Polymerization of zwitterionic monomers (CBMA or CBAA) with a cross-linker at low pH.
• Dissociation of polyelectrolyte complex micelles using salt and subsequent separation.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized zwitterionic nanogels with tunable size and swelling ability by controlling salt concentration and cross-linker fraction.
• Demonstrated pH-dependent charge characteristics of the synthesized poly(carboxybetaine methacrylate) (PCBMA) nanogels.
• Showcased selective loading of dye molecules and encapsulation/intracellular delivery of cytochrome c protein.

Conclusions:

• ETP provides a facile and robust method for fabricating zwitterionic nanogels.
• The synthesized nanogels exhibit controllable properties and pH-responsive behavior, making them suitable for various cargo delivery applications.
• These zwitterionic nanogels hold significant potential as advanced nanocarriers for functional charged cargos.