Covalent
organic framework nanospheres (COF NSs) have garnered
special attention due to their uniform sphere morphology, adjustable
particle size, and mesoporous microenvironment. However, methods to
control an optimal particle size scale while achieving solution dispersibility
and specific surface properties remain underdeveloped, which precludes
many of the biomedical applications. Here, we propose and develop
a general strategy to access simultaneous size control and surface
functionalization of uniform spherical COF NSs in a single step using
aspartic acid (d-/l-Asp) that plays center roles
in an acid catalyst, hydrophilicity, size-controllable synthesis,
and chiral enantiomer. In this study, for the first time, we have
employed a surface chemistry engineering study to create a variety
of nanoscale spherical COFs and subsequently measure parameters to
evaluate the effectiveness of Asp in the regulation of the particle
size. Moreover, the potential utilization of the d/l-enantiomeric Asp-COF NSs in preventing β-amyloid (Aβ)
aggregation is investigated by analyzing their interactions with Aβ
amyloids using a multitechnique experimental approach. To our knowledge,
our strategy is the first synthesis of hydrophilic COF NSs with an
optimal length scale and a chiral-selective targeting surface, which
are crucial for the inhibition of Aβ fibrillation for Alzheimer’s
disease prevention.
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