Photophysical and Optical Properties of Semiconducting Polymer Nanoparticles Prepared from Hyaluronic Acid and Polysorbate 80

Abstract

A nanoprecipitation procedure was utilized to prepare novel diketopyrrolopyrrole-based semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (SPNs) with hyaluronic acid (HA) and polysorbate 80. The nanoprecipitation led to the formation of spherical nanoparticles with average diameters ranging from 100 to 200 nm, and a careful control over the structure of the parent conjugated polymers was performed to probe the influence of π-conjugation on the final photophysical and thermal stability of the resulting SPNs. Upon generation of a series of novel SPNs, the optical and photophysical properties of the new nanomaterials were probed in solution using various techniques including transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, small-angle neutron scattering, transient absorption, and UV–vis spectroscopy. A careful comparison was performed between the different SPNs to evaluate their excited-state dynamics and photophysical properties, both before and after nanoprecipitation. Interestingly, although soluble in organic solution, the nanoparticles were found to exhibit aggregative behavior, resulting in SPNs that exhibit excited-state behaviors that are very similar to aggregated polymer solutions. Based on these findings, the formation of HA- and polysorbate 80-based nanoparticles does not influence the photophysical properties of the conjugated polymers, thus opening new opportunities for the design of bioimaging agents and nanomaterials for health-related applications.

Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles as a Universal High-Affinity Probe for the Selective Detection of Microplastics

“…The CPNs used as a platform to detect MPs were prepared via nanoprecipitation of a diketopyrrolopyrrole-based polymer (P­(DPP-T)) with a commercially available fluorescein-labeled hyaluronic acid (F-HA), according to previously reported procedures . A diketopyrrolopyrrole-based conjugated polymer was utilized to prepare the CPNs for several reasons.…”

“…A diketopyrrolopyrrole-based conjugated polymer was utilized to prepare the CPNs for several reasons. First, the synthetic conditions to prepare the conjugated polymers and related CPNs were optimized previously in the literature, which allows for a tunable synthetic approach toward polymers with a broad range of optoelectronic properties. , In addition, DPP-based semiconducting polymers are known to be relatively nontoxic , and have been used extensively in the literature for the imaging of biological features. , DPP-based derivatives also demonstrated good stability in environmental conditions, which can be an important advantage for utilization at the point of collection of microplastics . F-HA was chosen as lipophilic stabilizing polymer, because of the known affinity of hyaluronic acid derivatives for MPs .…”

“…The CPNs used as a platform to detect MPs were prepared via nanoprecipitation of a diketopyrrolopyrrole-based polymer (P(DPP-T)) with a commercially available fluorescein-labeled hyaluronic acid (F-HA), according to previously reported procedures. 23 A diketopyrrolopyrrole-based conjugated polymer was utilized to prepare the CPNs for several reasons. First, the synthetic conditions to prepare the conjugated polymers and related CPNs were optimized previously in the literature, which allows for a tunable synthetic approach toward polymers with a broad range of optoelectronic properties.…”

Tailoring the mechanical properties of benzothiadiazole-based semiconducting polymers through chalcogen atom substitution

“…This phenomenon has been observed in previous literature. 46,47 To investigate the thin film morphology of P1 to P4, atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used, and the results are depicted in Fig. S4 (ESI †).…”

Nanotechnology and its application in agriculture biotechnology

“…These properties are responsible for the stability, selectivity, and specific activity of nanomaterials. The optical properties of nanoparticles are considered as color, light penetration, reflection, and UV absorption properties [Langlois et al, 2019]. The mechanical properties of nanoparticles play an important role in its application in various fields.…”