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“Breathing” CO 2 ‐, O 2 ‐, and Light‐Responsive Vesicles from a Triblock Copolymer for Rate‐Tunable Controlled Release
Author(s) -
Lin Shaojian,
Shang Jiaojiao,
Zhang Xiaoxiao,
Theato Patrick
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/marc.201700313
Subject(s) - copolymer , materials science , vesicle , breathing , chemical engineering , polymer chemistry , polymer , chemistry , composite material , medicine , membrane , biochemistry , engineering , anatomy
A well‐defined amphiphilic triblock copolymer, poly[(ethylene glycol)methyl ether]‐ block ‐poly( N,N ‐dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate‐ co ‐2,2,2‐trifluoroethyl methacrylate)‐ block ‐poly(4‐(4‐methoxy‐phenylazo)phenoxy methacrylate) (PEG‐ b ‐P(DMAEMA‐ co ‐TFEMA)‐ b ‐PMEPPMA), is successfully synthesized by stepwise atom transfer radical polymerization. Owing to its amphiphilic nature, PEG‐ b ‐P(DMAEMA‐ co ‐TFEMA)‐ b ‐PMEPPMA can self‐assemble into vesicles in aqueous solution and exhibits a reversible triple‐responsive behavior toward CO 2 , O 2 , and light stimuli. More importantly, such vesicles can exhibit a controlled “breathing” behavior via external stimuli due to their suitable chemical structure and stimuli responsiveness. Consequently, these vesicles can be employed as nanocarriers for rate‐tunable controlled release via adjustment of their membrane permeability by a single stimulus or various stimuli combinations.