Amphiphilic A_xB_y mikto‐arm star copolymers with PLMA and POEGMA arms: Self‐assembly and drug encapsulation

Abstract

We report on the synthesis and self-assembly of amphiphilic mikto-arm star copolymers of the A x B y type with mixed arms of poly(lauryl methacrylate) and poly(oligo ethylene glycol methacrylate). Two star copolymers with different hydrophobic-to-hydrophilic ratios are prepared in order to study their selfassembly in aqueous media. Both stars organize in structures with dimensions in the nanoscale. The star with the lower hydrophobic content forms aggregates of lower size and molar mass and it has a higher critical aggregation concentration. The synthesized mikto-arm stars are able to encapsulate curcumin (CUR) and preserve its fluorescence properties while their self-organization is affected by the incorporation of the hydrophobic drug compound. Interestingly, the more hydrophilic star is more strongly affected by the presence of CUR in terms of aggregate size and mass. In phosphate buffered saline (PBS)

Star Polyelectrolytes with Mixed Arms of PDMAEMA and POEGMA: Self‐Assembly and Coassembly with Insulin

“…The star-PDMAEMA x -ΡOEGMA y mikto-arm star synthesis reaction is shown in Scheme 1a and it is similar to the one recently utilized in star-PLMA x -ΡOEGMA y amphiphilic mikto-arm stars. [19] In Scheme 1b the quaternization reaction of PDMAEMA to QPDMAEMA is illustrated.…”

Aqueous microgels with engineered hydrophobic nano-domains

“…curcumin, have been intensively studied in the past decades. Loading of hydrophobic payload in microgels can be either performed in aqueous medium, 52,53,59 in organic solvent with subsequent solvent transfer, 23 or by encapsulation and formation of emulsion-filled gels. 80–82,84 The efficiency of these loading approaches depends on the respective microgel system, as well as the drug properties, e.g.…”

“…Moreover, the strategy for the incorporation of hydrophobic domains can vary from the synthesis of linear prepolymers with a defined distribution of functional groups and subsequent physical self-assembly and cross-linking, 23 to copolymerization of functional monomers in the presence of a cross-linking agent, as well as post-modification of reactive functional groups. 24 Common suitable functionalities for an enhanced hydrophobicity of the microgel network include various methacrylates, 25 trifluoromethyl groups, 26 terminal alkyl chains (linear, 27–30 or branched 31,32 ), oligoethylene glycol (OEG) derivatives, 33 or aromatic heterocycles.…”

Thermo- and pH-responsive poly[(diethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate)-co-(2-diisopropylamino ethyl methacrylate)] hyperbranched copolymers: self-assembly and drug-loading

“…Using RAFT polymerization, copolymers with predictable molecular weights, narrow molecular weight distributions, and different molecular architectures, i.e. , linear, 36,37 star, 38,39 and hyperbranched 40,41 copolymers, can be synthesized, whose properties in solution may be affected by temperature 42 and pH changes. A typical example of a thermoresponsive hyperbranched copolymer was reported by the Davis group.…”