Issue 8, 2016

Nano-capsules of amphiphilic poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(bisphenol A carbonate) copolymers via thermodynamic entrapment

Abstract

The synthesis of amphiphilic poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (PEG-b-PC) block copolymer is presented here using a simple bio-chemistry coupling reaction between poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (PC) with a monomethylether poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG-OH) block, mediated by dicyclohexylcarbodiimide/4-dimethylaminopyridine. This method inherently allows great flexibility in the choice of starting materials as well as easy product purification only requiring phase separation and water washing. Collective data from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) and modulated dynamic scanning calorimetry (MDSC) confirmed the successful attachment of the poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG-OH) and poly(bisphenol A carbonate) (PC) blocks. The preparation of nano-capsules was carried out by sudden addition of water to PEG-b-PC copolymers dispersed in THF, resulting in the controlled precipitation (i.e. thermodynamic entrapment) of the copolymer. Nano-capsules as small as 85 nm ± 30 nm were produced using this simple and fast methodology. We also demonstrate that encapsulating a water-insoluble bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (DGEBA) epoxy resin is possible highlighting the potential use of these capsules as a chemical delivery system.

Graphical abstract: Nano-capsules of amphiphilic poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(bisphenol A carbonate) copolymers via thermodynamic entrapment

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
08 Nov 2015
Accepted
05 Jan 2016
First published
08 Jan 2016

RSC Adv., 2016,6, 6065-6071

Author version available

Nano-capsules of amphiphilic poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(bisphenol A carbonate) copolymers via thermodynamic entrapment

A. Sutti, T. Chaffraix, A. S. Voda, A. Taylor and K. Magniez, RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 6065 DOI: 10.1039/C5RA23555C

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