Dynamic covalent polymer films formed by structural metamorphosis at nanoparticle surfaces

Area of Science:

• Polymer Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Uniformly wrapping nanoscale objects with polymer films is crucial for controlling their properties.
• Existing methods struggle to achieve individually wrapped nanoparticles with stable shells.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report the first example of nanoparticle wrapping using dynamic covalent single-chain polymer nanoparticles (SCPNs).
• To demonstrate a method for creating stable, monodisperse, individually wrapped nanoparticles.

Main Methods:

• Utilized imidazole-decorated SCPNs that bind to Ni-NTA-functionalised silica nanoparticles.
• Induced dynamic acylhydrazone exchange via confinement and local concentration, transforming intramolecular to intermolecular crosslinks.
• Employed dynamic light scattering, zeta potential measurements, and transmission electron microscopy for characterization.

Main Results:

• Successfully formed monodisperse, individually wrapped nanoparticles with thin, stable polymer shells.
• Demonstrated that the polymer shells could not be displaced by competitive ligands.
• Showed that non-crosslinked polymers formed unstable coatings that were largely removed.

Conclusions:

• This strategy provides a versatile platform for creating nanoparticle wrappers.
• Establishes a conceptual framework for extending polymer wrapping to complex and biologically relevant nanoscale objects.