Julius David, Lee Jim Yang, Hong Liang
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, Singapore 117585, Singapore.
Gels. 2025 Mar 22;11(4):231. doi: 10.3390/gels11040231.
This study explored the formation of soft colloidal particles from a diblock ionomer (DI) with the monomeric composition (acrylonitrile)-co-(glycidyl methacrylate)-b-(3-sulfopropyl methacrylate potassium)-abbreviated as (AG)S, where x >> z > y. A colloidal dispersion was generated by introducing water into the pre-prepared DMSO solutions of DI, which led to micelle formation and subsequent coagulation. The assembly of the hydrophobic (AG) blocks was influenced by water content and chain conformational flexibility (the ability to adopt various forms of conformation). The resulting microgel structure (in particle form) consists of coagulated micelles characterized by discrete internal hydrophobic gel domains and continuous external hydrophilic gel layers. Characterization methods included light scattering, zeta potential analysis, and particle size distribution measurements. In contrast, the copolymer (AG) chains form random coil aggregates in DMSO-HO mixtures, displaying a chain packing state distinct from the hydrophobic gel domains as aforementioned. Additionally, the amphiphilic glycidyl methacrylate (G) units within the (AG) block were found to modulate the microgel dimensions. Notably, the nanoscale hydrogel corona exhibits high accessibility to reactive species in aqueous media. The typical microgel has a spherical shape with a diameter ranging from 50 to 120 nm. It exhibits a zeta potential of -65 mV in a neutral aqueous medium; however, it may precipitate if the metastable colloidal dispersion state cannot be maintained. Its properties could be tailored through adjusting the internal chain conformation, highlighting its potential for diverse applications.
本研究探索了由二嵌段离聚物（DI）形成软胶体颗粒的过程，该二嵌段离聚物的单体组成为（丙烯腈）-共-（甲基丙烯酸缩水甘油酯）-b-（甲基丙烯酸3-磺丙酯钾），简称为（AG）S，其中x >> z > y。通过将水引入预先制备的DI的二甲基亚砜（DMSO）溶液中生成胶体分散体，这导致胶束形成及随后的凝聚。疏水（AG）嵌段的组装受含水量和链构象灵活性（采取各种构象形式的能力）的影响。所得的微凝胶结构（呈颗粒形式）由凝聚的胶束组成，其特征在于离散的内部疏水凝胶域和连续的外部亲水凝胶层。表征方法包括光散射、zeta电位分析和粒度分布测量。相比之下，共聚物（AG）链在DMSO-H₂O混合物中形成无规线团聚集体，呈现出与上述疏水凝胶域不同的链堆积状态。此外，发现（AG）嵌段内的两亲性甲基丙烯酸缩水甘油酯（G）单元可调节微凝胶尺寸。值得注意的是，纳米级水凝胶冠层在水性介质中对反应性物种具有高可及性。典型的微凝胶呈球形，直径范围为50至120 nm。在中性水性介质中，它的zeta电位为 -65 mV；然而，如果不能维持亚稳的胶体分散状态，它可能会沉淀。其性能可通过调节内部链构象来定制，突出了其在各种应用中的潜力。
