Precision polymer nanofibers with a responsive polyelectrolyte corona designed as a modular, functionalizable nanomedicine platform

Abstract

We describe the development of a modular, functionalizable platform for biocompatible core-shell block copolymer nanofibers of controlled length (22 nm – 1.3 μm) and low dispersity produced via living crystallization-driven...

Uniform, length-tunable antibacterial 1D diblock copolymer nanofibers

“…PFTMC 16 -b-PDMAEMA 131 was prepared through a combination of ring-opening polymerization (ROP) and reversible additionfragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerization as previously reported. 62 PFTMC 18 -b-PEG 530 was prepared via ROP as previously described. 59,60,65 Each polymer was characterized by 1 H NMR, gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and matrixassisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry.…”

“…Characterization data can be found in Table S1. † 60,62,65 Two BCPs were studied: PFTMC 16 -b-PDMAEMA 131 and PFTMC 18 -b-PEG 530 (M n = 24 900 g mol −1 and 27 900 g mol −1 respectively, as determined by NMR DP n 's; Đ M = 1.55, 1.14 respectively, as determined by GPC, Fig. 2).…”

“…60 Both PFTMC-based diBCPS have been shown previously to form colloidally-stable nanofibers in aqueous media via the living CDSA method although the use of a buffer is recommended for long-term storage of the PDMAEMA materials. 59,62,65 Nanofibers were prepared from both PFTMC 16 -b-PDMAEMA 131 and PFTMC 18 -b-PEG 530 via living CDSA from the corresponding compositionally identical seeds according to procedures outlined in the ESI (Fig. 3 and S1, Table S2 †).…”

“…The PFTMC block was selected as recent studies have shown it is capable of undergoing CDSA in a robust fashion, readily forming length-controlled nanofibers with a crystallinecore via living CDSA. [59][60][61][62] It has also been shown to be noncytotoxic and degradable under conditions relevant to human physiology. 59,62,63 PDMAEMA was selected as a corona-forming block as it has been shown to exhibit antibacterial activity in both polymer and nanoparticle systems.…”

“…[59][60][61][62] It has also been shown to be noncytotoxic and degradable under conditions relevant to human physiology. 59,62,63 PDMAEMA was selected as a corona-forming block as it has been shown to exhibit antibacterial activity in both polymer and nanoparticle systems. 21,25 PDMAEMA homo-Fig.…”