Microfluidic platform for the synthesis of complex nanocapsules is presented via a controlled self-assembly. The monodisperse nanocapsules in the range of 50-200 nm consist of a dendritic polyethylene core and a Pluronic copolymer shell. The resultant nanocarriers encapsulate large amount of hydrophobic anticancer drug like paclitaxel while providing a low complement activation as well as sustained release profile with high tunability.

We investigated the effects of soft dendritic polyethylene (dPE) nanoparticles on the rheological properties of a linear polystyrene (PS) matrix. The viscosity of PS−dPE nanocomposites is found to exhibit nonmonotonic dependence on the dPE concentration. In particular, with the addition of 1% dPE nanoparticles, we already observe more than 1 order of magnitude reduction in viscosity. The minimum viscosity was observed at 5% nanoparticles. At dPE concentrations higher than 5%, nanocomposite viscosity increases by addition of nanoparticles, yet it remains below the viscosity of PS. Addition of nanoparticles not only influences the terminal relaxation times of the nanocomposites but also affects their whole relaxation spectra. The viscosity of PS−dPE nanocomposites at high temperature is found to reversibly evolve with time, which proves the existence of supramolecular interactions between the PS matrix and the nanoparticles. Atomic force microscopy confirms that dPE nanoparticles are well distributed in the PS matrix, though each component of the nanocomposite exhibits its own glass transition. While the origin of viscosity reduction remains unknown, it cannot be attributed to confinement, free volume effect, change of entanglement density, surface slippage, shear banding, or particle induced shear thinning.

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In this study, the effect of various polymerization conditions on the shape of the particles produced by dualseeded dispersion polymerization of a second monomer with polystyrene (PS) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) seed particles in the presence of saturated hydrocarbon droplets in a polar media was discussed. It was observed that with changing the affinity between the hydrocarbon and PS seed particles, second monomer type, polarity, and alcohol type of the medium nonspherical particles with a variety of shapes can be produced. Furthermore, we suggested that the presence of PMMA seed particles in the medium affects the distribution of the second polymer domains on the surface of the PS seed particles in addition to the absorbed amount of the hydrocarbon by PS particles and second polymer domains and the distribution of the hydrocarbon between them. Moreover, the experimental results showed that almond shell-like PS particles can be prepared under certain conditions.

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