Issue 12, 2013
From the journal:

Polymer Chemistry

Synthesis, self-assembly and (absence of) protein interactions of poly(glycerol methacrylate)–silicone macro-amphiphiles†

Ghislaine Robert-Nicoud,a   Robert Evans,‡b   Cong-Duan Vo,§b   Christopher J. Cadmanc  and  Nicola Tirelli*ab  

* Corresponding authors

a School of Materials and Institute of Inflammation and Repair/School of Medicine, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK
E-mail: nicola.tirelli@manchester.ac.uk
Fax: +44 (0)161 275 23 96
Tel: +44 (0)161 275 24 80

b School of Materials, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK

c School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK

Abstract

The present study focuses on the synthesis of amphiphilic block copolymers containing poly(glycerol monomethacrylate) (PGMMA), showing the advantages of a protection/deprotection strategy based on silyl groups. PGMMA blocks were synthesized via ATRP started by a double functional poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) macroinitiator of molecular weight ≈7000 g mol−1. The resulting triblock copolymers were characterized by low polydispersity (generally ≤1.1) and their aggregation concentration in water was essentially dominated by the PDMS block length (critical aggregation concentration substantially invariant for GMMA degree of polymerization ≥30). For GMMA blocks with DP > 50, the self-assembly in water produced 35–50 nm spherical micelles, while shorter hydrophilic chains produced larger aggregates apparently displaying worm-like morphologies. Block copolymers with long GMMA chains (DP ≈ 200) produced particularly stable micellar aggregates, which were then selected for a preliminary assessment of the possibility of adsorption of plasma proteins (albumin and fibrinogen); using diffusion NMR as an analytical technique, no significant adsorption was recorded both on micelles and on soluble PGMMA employed as a control, indicating the possibility of a “stealth” behaviour.

Graphical abstract: Synthesis, self-assembly and (absence of) protein interactions of poly(glycerol methacrylate)–silicone macro-amphiphiles

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Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/C3PY00273J
Article type
Paper
Submitted
26 Feb 2013
Accepted
02 Apr 2013
First published
03 Apr 2013

Polym. Chem., 2013,4, 3458-3470

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Synthesis, self-assembly and (absence of) protein interactions of poly(glycerol methacrylate)–silicone macro-amphiphiles

G. Robert-Nicoud, R. Evans, C. Vo, C. J. Cadman and N. Tirelli, Polym. Chem., 2013, 4, 3458 DOI: 10.1039/C3PY00273J

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