A survey of the most recent progress in the biomedical applications of metal-containing polymers is given. Due to the unique optical, electrochemical, and magnetic properties, at least 30 different metal elements, most of them transition metals, are introduced into polymeric frameworks for interactions with biology-relevant substrates via various means. Inspired by the advance of metal-containing small molecular drugs and promoted by the great progess in polymer chemistry, metal-containing polymers have gained momentum during recent decades. According to their different applications, this review summarizes the following biomedical applications: 1) metal-containing polymers as drug delivery vehicles; 2) metal-containing polymeric drugs and biocides, including antimicrobial and antiviral agents, anticancer drugs, photodynamic therapy agents, radiotherapy and biocide; 3) metal-containing polymers as biosensors, and 4) metal-containing polymers in bioimaging.

Highly transparent antifogging/anti-icing coatings were developed from amphiphilic block copolymers of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane-poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]-block-poly(sulfobetaine methacrylate) (POSS-PDMAEMA-b-PSBMA) with a small amount of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) via UV-curing. The excellent antifogging properties of the prepared coatings were originated from the hygroscopicity of both PDMAEMA and PSBMA blocks in the semi-interpenetrating polymer network (SIPN) with polymerization of EGDMA and hydrophobic POSS clusters aggregated on the surface. PDMAEMA with a lower critical solution temperature and PSBMA with an upper critical solution temperature in the block copolymers facilitated dispersion and absorption of water molecules into the SIPN coatings, fulfilling the enhanced antifogging function. Analysis of differential scanning calorimetry further confirmed that there was bond water and nonfreezable bond water in the SIPN coatings. The amphiphilic SIPN coatings exhibited the anti-icing ability with a freezing delay time of more than 2 min at -15 °C, owing to the aggregation of hydrophobic POSS groups and the self-lubricating aqueous layer generated by nonfreezable bond water on the surface. The prepared transparent antifogging/anti-icing coatings could have novel potential applications in practice.

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A comprehensive investigation on the synthesis and properties of a series of ferrocene‐containing (meth)acrylate monomers and their polymers that differ in the linkers between the ferrocene unit and the backbone was carried out. The side‐chain ferrocene‐containing polymers were prepared via atom transfer radical polymerization. The kinetic studies indicated that polymerization of most monomers followed a “controlled”/living manner. The polymerization rates were affected by the vinyl monomer structures and decreased with an increase of the linker length. Methacrylate polymerization was much faster than acrylate polymerization. The optical absorption of monomers and polymers was affected by the linkers. Thermal properties of these polymers can be tuned by controlling the length of the linker between the ferrocene unit and the backbone. By increasing the length of the linker, the glass transition temperature ranged from over 100 to −20 °C. Electrochemical properties of both monomers and polymers were characterized. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011

Cobaltocenium-containing methacrylate homopolymer, poly(2-(methacrylolyoxy)ethyl cobaltoceniumcarboxylate hexafluorophosphate) (PMAECoPF 6 ), was prepared by reversible addition−fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT). Using the homopolymer as a macroinitiator, three different diblock copolymers, including a novel heterobimetallic diblock copolymer with ferrocene units as the second block, were synthesized via chain extension. Kinetic studies showed that all chain extension followed a controlled/ living process under relatively lower conversion. The heterobimetallic diblock copolymer self-assembled into spherical micelles in selective solvents. The formation of aggregates depended on the location of the ferrocene block in the micelles. While the ferrocene units were susceptible to oxidation toward decomposition, the cobaltocenium moiety exhibited extraordinary stability to maintain its structure integrity.

We report novel robust resin acid-derived antimicrobial agents that exhibit excellent antimicrobial activities against a broad spectrum of bacteria (6 Gram-positive and 7 Gram-negative) with selective lysis of microbial membranes over mammalian membranes. Our results indicate that hydrophobicity and unique structures of resin acids can be determining factors in dictating the antimicrobial activity.

The synthesis and radical polymerization of an 18-e cobaltocenium vinyl monomer, 2-acryloyloxyethyl cobaltoceniumcarboxylate hexafluorophosphate (AECoPF 6 ), are reported. The side-chain cobaltocenium-containing polymer, poly(acryloyloxyethyl cobaltoceniumcarboxylate hexafluorophosphate) (PAECoPF 6 ), is a water-soluble hydrophilic polyelectrolyte. Through an effective ion-exchange process, this polymer was transformed into a hydrophobic poly(acryloyloxyethyl cobaltoceniumcarboxylate tetraphenylborate) (PAECoBPh 4 ) polymer, soluble in strong polar solvents such as dimethylformamide and dimethyl sulfoxide. Electrochemical studies showed that both polymers have reversible redox processes in dimethylformamide. These polymers exhibited high thermal stability.

The synthesis of side-chain cobaltocenium-containing block copolymers and their self-assembly in solution was studied. Highly pure monocarboxycobaltocenium was prepared and subsequently attached to side chains of poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-block-poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate), yielding poly(tert-butyl acrylate)-block-poly(2-acryloyloxyethyl cobaltoceniumcarboxylate). The cobaltocenium block copolymers exhibited vesicle morphology in the mixture of acetone and water, while micelles of nanotubes were formed in the mixture of acetone and chloroform.