Polymeric scaffolds serve as valuable supports for biological cells since they offer essential features for guiding cellular organization and tissue development. The main challenges for scaffold fabrication are i) to tune an internal structure and ii) to load bio‐molecules such as growth factors and control their local concentration and distribution. Here, a new approach for the design of hollow polymeric scaffolds using porous CaCO3 particles (cores) as templates is presented. The cores packed into a microfluidic channel are coated with polymers employing the layer‐by‐layer (LbL) technique. Subsequent core elimination at mild conditions results in formation of the scaffold composed of interconnected hollow polymer microspheres. The size of the cores determines the feature dimensions and, as a consequence, governs cellular adhesion: for 3T3 fibroblasts an optimal microsphere size is 12 μm. By making use of the carrier properties of the porous CaCO3 cores, the microspheres are loaded with BSA as a model protein. The scaffolds developed here may also be well suited for the localized release of bio‐molecules using external triggers such as IR‐light.
The entrapment of a protein in porous poly(d,l ‐lactide‐co‐glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres is demonstrated through the closure of their outer surface pores for sustained delivery of the protein. The porous PLGA microspheres with less than 10 μm in size are prepared by electrospraying. Aqueous solutions containing fluorescein isothiocyanate‐dextran or bovine serum albumin (BSA) are penetrated into the inner pores as a result of vacuum treatment, and the outer surface pores of the porous PLGA microspheres are then closed using a solvent (dimethyl sulfoxide) to ensure entrapment of the macromolecules. Confocal microscopy images confirm the presence of a large amount of the macromolecules inside the porous structure. Circular dichroism spectroscopy and release analysis reveal that BSA is entrapped without denaturation and released in a sustained manner for a period of over 2 months, respectively.
Triptycene‐based micorporous polymer is functionalized with CO2‐philic tetrazole moieties via ZnCl2‐catalyzed post‐polymerization. Gas adsorption experiments indicate that it possesses high CO2 uptake capacity, reaching 134 cm3 g−1 (26.5 wt%) at 1.0 bar and 273 K, along with high selectivity towards CO2 over N2 and CH4. The porous polymeric networks present the promising potentials as efficient adsorbents in clean energy applications.
Bottlebrush polymers are synthesized using a tandem ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) and ring‐opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) strategy. For the first time, ROP and ROMP are conducted sequentially in the same pot to yield well‐defined bottlebrush polymers with molecular weights in excess of 106 Da. The first step of this process involves the synthesis of a polylactide macromonomer (MM) via ROP of d ,l ‐lactide initiated by an alcohol‐functionalized norbornene. ROMP grafting‐through is then carried out in the same pot to produce the bottlebrush polymer. The applicability of this methodology is evaluated for different MM molecular weights and bottlebrush backbone degrees of polymerization. Size‐exclusion chromatographic and 1H NMR spectroscopic analyses confirm excellent control over both polymerization steps. In addition, bottlebrush polymers are imaged using atomic force microscopy and stain‐free transmission electron microscopy on graphene oxide.
The growth factor bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP‐2) is utilized in surgical procedures to improve bone regeneration; however, current treatments deliver BMP‐2 at amounts greater than 100 000 fold of physiological levels, which increases treatment costs and risk of side effects. Drug‐eluting microcarriers developed to improve these therapies have faced significant commercialization challenges including particle size distributions, solvent removal, low encapsulation efficiency, and bioactivity loss. In this study, a solvent‐free method is presented for fabrication of uniform polyHIPE microspheres for controlled growth factor release. Emulsion templating principles and fluid dynamics were used to fabricate uniform particles with tunable particle size (200–800 μm) and pore size (10–30 μm). The ability to independently tune particle and pore size is expected to provide excellent control of release kinetics. Overall, this solvent‐free method for making porous microspheres displays strong promise for the controlled release of BMP‐2 and other growth factors.
A simple polymerization of trichlorophosphoranimine (Cl3P = N−SiMe3) mediated by functionalized triphenylphosphines is presented. In situ initiator formation and the subsequent polymerization progress are investigated by 31P NMR spectroscopy, demonstrating a living cationic polymerization mechanism. The polymer chain lengths and molecular weights of the resulting substituted poly(organo)phosphazenes are further studied by 1H NMR spectroscopy and size exclusion chromatography. This strategy facilitates the preparation of polyphosphazenes with controlled molecular weights and specific functional groups at the α‐chain end. Such well‐defined, mono‐end‐functionalized polymers have great potential use in bioconjugation, surface modification, and as building blocks for complex macromolecular constructs.
Diarylbutadiyne derivatives are ideal monomers for providing the π‐electron‐conjugated system of polydiacetylenes (PDAs). The geometrical parameters for diacetylene topochemical polymerization are known. However, control of the molecules under these parameters is yet to be addressed. This work shows that by simply tailoring diarylbutadiyne with amide side‐chain substituents, the arrangement of the substituents and the resulting hydrogen bond framework allows formation of π‐electron‐conjugated PDA.
A double hydrophilic block copolymer, poly(ethylene glycol)‐poly(3‐dimethyl (methacryloyloxyethyl) ammonium propane sulfonate) (PEG‐SB), is synthesized by reversible addition‐fragmentation transfer (RAFT) polymerization using PEG methyl ether (4‐cyano‐4‐pentanoate dodecyl trithiocarbonate) as a chain transfer agent. PEG‐SB forms multi‐layered microspheres with dipole‐dipole interactions of the SB side chains as the driving force. The PEG‐SB polymers show an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) and the UCST is controllable by the polymerization degree. The PEG‐SB microspheres are dissociated above the UCST and then monodispersed microspheres (∼1 μm) are obtained when the solution temperature is decreased below the UCST again. The disassociation/association of the microspheres is also controllable using the concentration of NaCl. These multi‐responsive microspheres could be a powerful tool in the field of nano‐biotechnology.
Photoactive materials are actively researched, piloting breakthroughs that have enriched fundamental understanding of science, and have led to real applications. Tetraphenylethene, a photoactive molecule that is of interest from fundamental and applied perspectives, features photochemical properties that are not exploited in the design of photoactive, dual‐emissive materials. Here, tetraphenylethene‐based, dual‐emissive dendrimers are constructed via a synthetic approach that involves a photochemical reaction that exploits the photochemistry of tetraphenylethene. These dendrimers are emissive in solution and in the aggregate state with tunable dual emissions at 368 and 469 nm. The photochemical reaction also tunes the size of the aggregates, increasing the size after UV irradiation. The reported synthetic strategy is a direct and facile approach to accessing dual‐emissive macromolecules, especially tetraphenylethene‐based systems for real applications.
The present review focuses on the recent progress made in thin film orientation of semi‐conducting polymers with particular emphasis on methods using epitaxy and shear forces. The main results reported in this review deal with regioregular poly(3‐alkylthiophene)s and poly(dialkylfluorenes). Correlations existing between processing conditions, macromolecular parameters and the resulting structures formed in thin films are underlined. It is shown that epitaxial orientation of semi‐conducting polymers can generate a large palette of semi‐crystalline and nanostructured morphologies by a subtle choice of the orienting substrates and growth conditions.
Temperature‐triggered phase separation of recombinant proteins has offered substantial opportunities in the design of nanoparticles for a variety of applications. Herein, the temperature‐triggered phase separation behavior of a recombinant hydrophilic resilin‐like polypeptide (RLP) is described. The transition temperature and sizes of RLP‐based nanoparticles can be modulated based on variations in polypeptide concentration, salt identity, ionic strength, pH, and denaturing agents, as indicated via UV–Vis spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The irreversible particle formation is coupled with secondary conformational changes from a random coil conformation to a more ordered β‐sheet structure. These RLP‐based nanoparticles could find potential use as mechanically‐responsive components in drug delivery, nanospring, nanotransducer, and biosensor applications.
In this work, the synthesis of various halogenated thiophenol derivatives is presented. These thiophenols are used as monomers in light‐initiated SRN1‐type radical polymerization reactions. The method provides easy access to industrially relevant poly(paraphenylene sulfide) and poly(metaphenylene sulfide). The influence of the halide leaving group and of other substituents in the thiophenol monomer on the polymerization process is investigated.
Polydiacetylenes have received intense attention on account of their well‐established chromic alterations that are detectable often by the naked eye, making them ideal for a variety of applications such as biosensory materials. These polymers have been fabricated in a variety of materials platforms including 3D crystals, 2D monolayers, and 0D spherical vesicles; however, 1D morphologies that might be useful for directional energy migration are less common. This article describes the development and current research efforts of protein‐based 1D nanowire‐like supramolecular assemblies with embedded polydiacetylenes.
Cross‐linked azobenzene liquid‐crystalline polymer films with a poly(oxyethylene) backbone are synthesized by photoinitiated cationic copolymerization. Azobenzene moieties in the film surface toward the light source are simultaneously photoaligned during photopolymerization with unpolarized 436 nm light and thus form a splayed alignment in the whole film. The prepared films show reversible photoinduced bending behavior with opposite bending directions when different surfaces of one film face to ultraviolet light irradiation.
Novel supramolecular phosphorescent polymers (SPPs) are synthesized as a new class of solution‐processable electroluminescent emitters. The formation of these SPPs takes advantage of the efficient non‐bonding assembly between bis(dibenzo‐24‐crown‐8)‐functionalized iridium complex monomer and bis(dibenzylammonium)‐tethered co‐monomer, which is monitored by 1H NMR spectroscopy and viscosity measurements. These SPPs show good film morphology and an intrinsic glass transition with a Tg of 94–116 °C. Noticeably, they are highly photoluminescent in solid state with quantum efficiency up to ca. 78%. The photophysical and electroluminescent properties are strongly dependent on the molecular structures of the iridium complex monomers.
Various bicolored fluorescent micropatterns are fabricated on a single polymer film by concurrent photobleaching and a photobase generation process. A polymer, bearing anthracene and oxime–urethane groups, is dyed with rhodamine B isothiocyanate after irradiation with 310‐nm UV light. The photochemical reaction of the polymer is monitored by UV, IR absorption, and fluorescence emission spectroscopy. Differently colored fluorescent micropatterns are obtained by selectively exciting each dye moiety. Various bicolored fluorescent micropatterns are observed through varying the excitation wavelength and observation wavelength ranges using a confocal microscope. This bicolored fluorescence patterning method will be useful to apply in photonic/electronic devices.
A heterotritopic copillar[5]arene monomer by introducing effective neutral guest moieties (methylene chains end‐capped with cyano and triazole groups) to a pillar[5]arene macrocycle is prepared. This well‐designed AB2‐type copillar[5]arene contains strong host–guest recognition motifs that are connected with relatively flexible and long linkers, thus efficiently assembles to form supramolecular hyperbranched polymer (SHP) in chloroform solution, which is characterized by various techniques including 1H NMR, DOSY, viscosity, DLS, and TEM. Particularly, this supramolecular polymer can be effectively depolymerized by adding a competitive butanedinitrile guest.
The synthesis of two 4,7,12,15‐tetrakisalkoxy‐substituted [2.2.2]‐paracyclophane‐1,9,17‐trienes and their polymerization employing ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) using Ru‐carbenes (third‐generation Grubbs catalyst) is reported. Phenylene ethynylene trimers are reduced via a Grignard reagent, followed by an intramolecular McMurry cyclization to give the cyclophenes. The cyclophenes are polymerized into soluble poly(para‐phenylene vinylene)s (PPV), which are analyzed in solution by NMR, UV–vis, and fluorescence spectroscopy. They are spin coated into amorphous, fluorescent thin films, and investigated by optical spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry.
This article summarizes recent progress in the post‐functionalization of conjugated polymers by electrochemical methods. These electrochemical polymer reactions typically proceed via electrochemical doping of a conjugated polymer film, followed by chemical transformation. Examples include the quantitative oxidative fluorination of polyfluorenes and oxidative halogenation of polythiophenes, as well as the reductive hydrogenation of polyfluorenones. The degree of functionalization, otherwise known as the reaction ratio, can be controlled by varying the charge passed through the polymer, allowing the optoelectronic properties of the conjugated polymers to be tailored. Wireless bipolar electrodes with an in‐plane potential distribution are also useful with regard to the electrochemical doping and reaction of conjugated polymers and allow the synthesis of films exhibiting composition gradients. Such bipolar electrochemistry can induce multiple reaction sites during electrochemical polymer reactions.
Control over morphology and porosity of supramolecular complexed polylactide (PLA) microparticles can be achieved by manipulation of the supramolecular interactions between their constituent polymeric building blocks. It is expected that such modular systems are ideal candidates to serve as degradable delivery carriers. In view of this goal, this study reports about a modular fabrication of biodegradable microparticles from terpyridine (TPy) and bisterpyridine (bisTPy) end‐functionalized PLAs that can be transiently extended by chain association through differently strong complexation to three metal cations: Ni2+, Co2+, or Fe2+. Further influence on the morphology of the particles can be exerted by hydrogen‐bonding association of enantiomeric l ‐ and d ‐PLA chains in the form of stereocomplexes. Both effects cause different stabilization of phase‐separating TPy and bisTPy PLA micrograins in a process of droplet‐based microfluidic particle templating, resulting in different forms of microparticle porosity. If the resulting particles are tailored such to be highly porous, they exhibit a faster release of a model drug, (S)‐(+)‐4‐(3‐amino‐pyrrolidino)‐7‐nitrobenzo‐furazan, than if they have smooth surfaces. As a result, control over the synthetic parameters, and hence, the particle porosity, can be used to tune the release profiles of drugs from the PLA microspheres.
