8 research outputs found
Poly(colloid)s: “Polymerization” of Poly(l‑tyrosine)-silica Composite Particles through the Photoinduced Cross-Linking of Unmodified Proteins Method
Photoinduced cross-linking
of unmodified proteins, PICUP, was extended
to core–shell silica-polypeptide composite particles to produce
poly(colloid)s. Silica particles coated with poly(l-tyrosine),
PTYR-SiO<sub>2</sub>, served as the monomer units. The PICUP reaction
accomplished the formation of dityrosil linkages between the tyrosine
units by illumination of photo-oxidizing ruthenium(II) bipyridyl catalyst
under physiological conditions. The PICUP method was compared with
an enzymatic route intermediated by horseradish peroxidase as catalyst.
The PTYR-SiO<sub>2</sub> particles feature high PTYR content in the
shell, which facilitated the formation of heavily cross-linked but
unstructured aggregates. After magnetic alignment of superparamagnetic
PTYR-SiO<sub>2</sub>-cobalt composite particles, only the PICUP approach
enabled the preparation of isolated chain-like poly(colloid)s. The
cross-linking products were confirmed by FTIR. The native secondary
structure of poly(l-tyrosine) is preserved in these poly(colloid)s.
Because the PICUP reaction does not require the modification of the
polypeptide structure, the cross-linked PTYR will retain its characteristic
functions as a poly(amino acid). The PICUP method opens the door to
a variety of PTYR-based poly(colloid) architectures
Modulation of Methoxyfenozide Release from Lignin Nanoparticles Made of Lignin Grafted with PCL by ROP and Acylation Grafting Methods
An efficient and sustainable agriculture calls for the
development
of novel agrochemical delivery systems able to release agrochemicals
in a controlled manner. This study investigated the controlled release
of the insecticide methoxyfenozide (MFZ) from lignin (LN) nanoparticles
(LNPs). LN-grafted poly(ε-caprolactone) (LN-g-PCL) polymers were synthesized using two grafting methods, ring-opening
polymerization (ROP)(LN-g-PCLp) and acylation
reaction (LN-g-PCLa), creating polymers
capable of self-assembling into nanoparticles of different properties,
without surfactants. The LN-g-PCLp polymers
exhibited a degree of polymerization (DP) from 22 to 101, demonstrating
enhanced thermal stability after LN incorporation. LNPs loaded with
MFZ exhibited a spherical core–shell structure with a hydrophilic
LN outer layer and hydrophobic PCL core, with sizes affected by grafting
methods and DP. LNPs controlled MFZ release, displaying variation
in release profiles depending on the grafting methodology used, LN-g-PCLp DP, and temperature variations (23 to
30 °C). LNPs formulated with LN-g-PCLa showed a cumulative release of MFZ of 36.78 ± 1.23% over 196
h. Comparatively, increasing the DP of the LN-g-PCLp polymers, a reduction of the LNPs release rate from 92.39
± 1.46% to 70.59 ± 2.40% was achieved within the same time
frame. These findings contribute to identifying ways to modulate the
controlled release of agrochemicals by incorporating them in renewable-based
LNPs
Synthesis and Rapid Characterization of Amine-Functionalized Silica
Amine-functionalized colloidal silica finds use in a
variety of
applications and fundamental investigations. To explore convenient
methods of synthesis and characterization of research-grade materials
in relatively large quantities, nearly monodisperse colloidal silica
particles were prepared by base-catalyzed hydrolysis of reagent-grade
tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) without the traditional time- and
energy-consuming distillation step. Radius was varied reliably from
30 to 125 nm by changing the water/TEOS ratio. Asymmetric flow field
flow fractionation (AF4) methods with online light scattering detection
proved effective in assessing the uniformity of the various preparations.
Even highly uniform commercial standards were resolved by AF4. The
surface of the colloidal silica was decorated with amino groups using
(3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane and spacer methyl groups from methyl-trimethoxysilane.
The surface density of amino groups was quantified spectrophotometrically
after reaction with ninhydrin; the nature of this analysis avoids
interference from sample turbidity. As an alternative to the ninhydrin
test, an empirical relationship between surface density of amino groups
and zeta potential at low pH was found. The size of the colloidal
silica was predictably decreased by etching with HF; this method will
be effective for some preparations, despite a modest reduction in
size uniformity
Asymmetric Flow Field-Flow Fractionation with Multiangle Light Scattering Detection for Characterization of Cellulose Nanocrystals
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were analyzed by asymmetric
flow
field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled with multiangle light scattering
(MALS) detection. Small fractions were collected from the output of
the AF4 apparatus for investigation by transmission electron microscopy
(TEM). The influence of CNC injection amount, the number of passes
through a high-pressure homogenizer, and different CNC sources on
the elution behavior and particle size distribution was investigated.
The AF4-MALS results on crystal length were compared with those from
TEM. Peak distortion and variation in elution profiles with the increase
in sample load were observed. Good resolution was obtained when the
injection mass varied from 20 to 40 μg, corresponding to injections
of 4–8 μL at a starting concentration of ∼5 μg/μL;
concentrations during the separation process and at the detector were
significantly lower. As the number of homogenization treatments increased,
the peak shape became narrower and more symmetrical. This indicates
a narrowed crystal length distribution, but regardless of source or
homogenization treatment, no CNC preparation was as uniform as tobacco
mosaic virus, a well-known rigid rod model structure, whose length
was found by AF4-MALS to be in agreement with literature values. CNCs
derived from cotton contained longer crystals than those derived from
microcrystalline cellulose, as shown by both AF4-MALS and TEM techniques.
An advantage of AF4-MALS compared to TEM is the ability to sample
large numbers of rodlike particles, which is challenging and time-consuming
for TEM image analysis, especially without the presorting afforded
by AF4. The good TMV results suggest a high degree of accuracy will
pertain to the CNC size distribution measurements
Asymmetric Flow Field-Flow Fractionation with Multiangle Light Scattering Detection for Characterization of Cellulose Nanocrystals
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were analyzed by asymmetric
flow
field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled with multiangle light scattering
(MALS) detection. Small fractions were collected from the output of
the AF4 apparatus for investigation by transmission electron microscopy
(TEM). The influence of CNC injection amount, the number of passes
through a high-pressure homogenizer, and different CNC sources on
the elution behavior and particle size distribution was investigated.
The AF4-MALS results on crystal length were compared with those from
TEM. Peak distortion and variation in elution profiles with the increase
in sample load were observed. Good resolution was obtained when the
injection mass varied from 20 to 40 μg, corresponding to injections
of 4–8 μL at a starting concentration of ∼5 μg/μL;
concentrations during the separation process and at the detector were
significantly lower. As the number of homogenization treatments increased,
the peak shape became narrower and more symmetrical. This indicates
a narrowed crystal length distribution, but regardless of source or
homogenization treatment, no CNC preparation was as uniform as tobacco
mosaic virus, a well-known rigid rod model structure, whose length
was found by AF4-MALS to be in agreement with literature values. CNCs
derived from cotton contained longer crystals than those derived from
microcrystalline cellulose, as shown by both AF4-MALS and TEM techniques.
An advantage of AF4-MALS compared to TEM is the ability to sample
large numbers of rodlike particles, which is challenging and time-consuming
for TEM image analysis, especially without the presorting afforded
by AF4. The good TMV results suggest a high degree of accuracy will
pertain to the CNC size distribution measurements
Sugar-Based Polyamides: Self-Organization in Strong Polar Organic Solvents
Periodic patterns resembling spirals
were observed to form spontaneously
upon unassisted cooling of d-glucaric acid- and d-galactaric acid–based polyamide solutions in <i>N</i>-methyl-<i>N</i>-morpholine oxide (NMMO) monohydrate. Similar
observations were made in d-galactaric acid-based polyamide/ionic
liquid (IL) solutions. The morphologies were investigated by optical,
polarized light and confocal microscopy assays to reveal pattern details.
Differential scanning calorimetry was used to monitor solution thermal
behavior. Small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering data reflected the
complex and heterogeneous nature of the self-organized patterns. Factors
such as concentration and temperature were found to influence spiral
dimensions and geometry. The distance between rings followed a first-order
exponential decay as a function of polymer concentration. Fourier-Transform
Infrared Microspectroscopy analysis of spirals pointed to H-bonding
between the solvent and the pendant hydroxyl groups of the glucose
units from the polymer backbone. Tests on self-organization into spirals
of ketal-protected d-galactaric acid polyamides in NMMO monohydrate
confirmed the importance of the monosaccharide’s pendant free
hydroxyl groups on the formation of these patterns. Rheology performed
on d-galactaric-based polyamides at high concentration in
NMMO monohydrate solution revealed the optimum conditions necessary
to process these materials as fibers by spinning. The self-organization
of these sugar-based polyamides mimics certain biological materials
Determination of Particle Size Distributions, Molecular Weight Distributions, Swelling, Conformation, and Morphology of Dilute Suspensions of Cross-Linked Polymeric Nanoparticles via Size-Exclusion Chromatography/Differential Viscometry
Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC),
coupled with differential
viscometry detection (SEC/DV), is applied to the dilute suspension
characterization of solvent-swollen cross-linked polymeric nanoparticles
(PNPs). Cross-linked, unimolecular polymeric nanoparticles in the
5–50 nm weight-average diameter (<i>d</i><sub>w</sub>) range were prepared by batch and semibatch microemulsion polymerization
techniques and isolated. SEC and SEC/DV characterization techniques
yield, based on the principle of universal calibration, a wealth of
information regarding the structural attributes of PNPs, including
apparent and absolute molecular weight distributions, apparent and
absolute molecular weight averages, peak and weight-average particle
diameters, particle size distributions in both the solvent-swollen
and solvent-free states, particle conformation (shape), and an estimate
of the volumetric swell factor. These structural parameters are critical
to understanding PNP performance, and all are obtained in a single
rapid chromatographic experiment, when conducted under conditions
where universal calibration applies. Particle sizes determined under
such conditions are in excellent agreement with those obtained by
dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, hydrodynamic
chromatography, and SEC/static light scattering (SEC/SLS). In addition,
Mark–Houwink exponents of approximately zero were found across
the molecular weight and size distribution of many of these tightly
cross-linked PNPs, which is consistent with a spherical particle conformation
in these dilute suspensions. The SEC/DV methods are especially valuable
to characterize the diameter, volume swell factor, and suspension
conformation of small (4–5 nm <i>d</i><sub>w</sub>) PNPs