Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 14, 2026
08:45
Forming Giant-sized Polymersomes Using Gel-assisted Rehydration
Published on: May 26, 2016
Harnessing Chemical and Light Energy for Controlled Mechanical Deformation in Rigid Polymersomes.
Jiajia Tan1, Guhuan Liu1, Jian Cheng1
1State Key Laboratory of Precision and Intelligent Chemistry, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|July 13, 2026
Summary
Synthetic polymersomes transform shape with precision using chemical or light triggers. This breakthrough enables programmable microscale mechanical motion for advanced soft matter engineering and biomimetic functions.
Area of Science:
- Soft Matter Engineering
- Biomimetic Systems
- Polymer Science
Background:
- Achieving programmable mechanical responses in synthetic assemblies from biochemical or light inputs is a significant challenge.
- Essential biological functions rely on the precise molecular transduction of stimuli into mechanical actions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop rigid polymersomes with stimuli-cleavable polycarbonate bilayers capable of programmable shape transformations.
- To investigate the mechanisms underlying these transformations in response to chemical and light triggers.
- To demonstrate applications in artificial endocytosis and responsive soft matter engineering.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of rigid polymersomes with stimuli-cleavable polycarbonate bilayers.
- In situ monitoring of morphological and microstructural changes using confocal microscopy and fluorescence probe analysis.
- Investigating the role of chemical energy dissipation, reactive gradients, and transmembrane asymmetry.
Main Results:
- Polymersomes exhibited programmable shape transformations, including unidirectional elongation, invagination, and disassembly, triggered by chemical or light inputs.
- Demonstrated precise spatiotemporal control of deformation, including light-triggered invagination mimicking cellular endocytosis.
- Successfully integrated light-triggered deformation with molecular recognition for targeted nanoparticle internalization via artificial endocytosis.
Conclusions:
- Developed a general framework for converting chemical and light energy into microscale mechanical motion through molecular cleavage.
- Established a versatile platform for responsive soft matter engineering with biomimetic functions.
- The interplay of fuel diffusion, cleavage reactions, and membrane asymmetry governs the observed dynamic behaviors.
Related Concept Videos
01:16Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization (ROMP)
Ring-opening metathesis polymerization or ROMP involves strained cycloalkenes as starting materials. The mechanism of ROMP proceeds by reacting cycloalkene with Grubbs catalyst to give metallacyclobutane intermediate which undergoes a ring-opening reaction to form new carbene. The new carbene reacts with another molecule of cycloalkene. Repetition of these steps leads to the formation of an unsaturated open-chain polymer product. All these steps are reversible, however, relieving the ring...
01:13Olefin Metathesis Polymerization: Overview
Recently, the development of olefin metathesis polymerization advanced the field of polymer synthesis. Simply put, the reorganization of substituents on their double bonds between two olefins in the presence of a catalyst is known as the olefin metathesis reaction. The use of metathesis reaction for polymer synthesis is called olefin metathesis polymerization.
Ruthenium-based Grubbs catalyst is the most commonly used catalyst for olefin metathesis polymerization. Grubbs catalyst consists of a...
Ruthenium-based Grubbs catalyst is the most commonly used catalyst for olefin metathesis polymerization. Grubbs catalyst consists of a...
01:28ATP and Macromolecule Synthesis
Biological macromolecules are organic compounds, predominantly composed of carbon atoms. The carbon atoms are covalently bonded with hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and other minor elements. There are four major biological macromolecule classes: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Most macromolecules are composed of single subunits, or building blocks, called monomers. The monomers combine with each other using covalent bonds to form larger molecules known as polymers.
Conversion of...
Most macromolecules are composed of single subunits, or building blocks, called monomers. The monomers combine with each other using covalent bonds to form larger molecules known as polymers.
Conversion of...