A versatile polymeric nanoparticle platform has been developed from a simple homopolymer by using external stimuli as a handle. A facile synthesis of amphiphilic homopolymers containing cationic, anionic and oligoethylene glycol group based on thiolactone ring opening reaction has been illustrated, as shown in Figure1.  Based on these polymers, a versatile stimuli-mediated toolbox has been demonstrated to synthesize nanoassemblies with engineered properties including: i) tunable size, ii) high functional group density, iii) variable surface properties, iv) stimuli-responsive host-guest properties, and v) both reversibly and irreversibly functionalizable surfaces. A salt bridge-based mechanism is also proposed and investigated by spectroscopic study (Figure 2) to explain the observed salt induced assembly of these amphiphilic homopolymers. This method will open up a novel and robust avenue to achieve nanomaterials with tunable physical and chemical characteristics.

Stimuli-mediated toolbox for the preparation of diverse polymeric nanostructures

248th National Meeting (2014)

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