Molecular Weight Dependence of Polymersome Membrane Structure, Elasticity, and Stability
By H. Bermudez, Aaron K. Brannan, D. Hammer, F. Bates, Dennis E. Discher School of Engineering, A. Science, U. Pennsylvania, Department of Aerospace Engineering, M. Science, U. Minnesota. 2001
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Vesicles prepared in water from a series of diblock copolymers“polymersomes”are physically characterized. With increasing molecular weight Mn, the hydrophobic core thickness for self-assembled bilayers of poly(ethylene oxide)−polybutadiene increases up to ∼20 nm, which is considerably greater than any previously studied lipid or polymersome system. Micromanipulation of vesicles demonstrates an interface-dominated elasticity that is independent of Mn. Furthermore, membrane stability as defined by the maximal areal strain increases with Mn, approaching a universal limit predicted by mean-field ideas and set by the interfacial tension. Nonlinear responses and memory effects also emerge with increasing Mn, indicating the onset of chain entanglements at higher Mn. The results highlight the interfacial limits and transitions to bulk responses of self-assemblies.
Subfields: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics, Organic Chemistry, Surfaces, Coatings and Films
View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/5151f8d617c2171bb9611f372f460940ef74e214
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In Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
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Citations in the corpus
- Self-porating polymersomes of PEG-PLA and PEG-PCL: hydrolysis-triggered controlled release vesicles. (2004, background): “Fig. 1B). The core thickness of the PLA membrane is similar to a previously studied PEG–PBD vesicle [ 39 ] ,n amely EO50-BD55 (with dc10.6F1 nm).”
- Oxidation-responsive polymeric vesicles (2004, background): “, the added functionality of macroamphiphiles permits sophisticated design of the resulting 'polymersomes': (i) the degree of polymerization (DP) of the hydrophobic block determines membrane thicknes”