• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.156-162
• /
• 2009

Supramolecular hydrogels were instantaneously fabricated by mixing aqueous solutions of $\alpha$-cyclodextrins ($\alpha$-CDs) and amphiphilic methoxy (polyethylene glycol) (MPEG)-$\varepsilon$-caprolactone (CL) oligomer, which was synthesized via the ring-opening polymerization of the CL monomer using low-molecular-weight MPEG ($M_n$ of MPEG=2,000 g/mol) as an initiator. The supramolecular structure of the hydrogels was revealed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses. Rheological studies of the hydrogels revealed an elastic character when the number of CL units in the oligomer was more than 2, and the obtained hydrogels showed high storage modulus but relatively low shearing viscosity due to the low-molecular-weight character of the oligomer, which was more preferable for use as an injectable delivery system. The physical properties of the hydrogels could be modulated by controlling the chain morphology and concentration of the oligomers, as well as the feed molar ratio of the oligomer to $\alpha$-CD. The components of the supramolecular hydrogels are biocompatible and can readily be eliminated from the body. These features render the supramolecular hydro gels suitable as drug delivery systems and tissue engineering scaffolds.

• Membrane Journal
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.59-67
• /
• 2006

Biodegradable amphiphilic polymer was synthesized for removing hydrophobic pollutants(phenol, 4-nitrophenol, benzene, and toluene) and metal ions ($Cs^{+},\;Mg^{2+},\;Cu^{2+},\;Ni^{2+}$, and $Cr^{3}$). The methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)s with different molecular weights (1,100 and 5,000) were used as a hydrophilic segment. The rejection ratio improved in the relatively high molecular weight of MPEG. The rejection ratio of biodegradable nanoparticles without pollutants was over 98%. In removal of hydrophobic pollutants, the rejection ratio increased with the hydrophobic properties. The electron valence affects the rejection ratio of metal ions, indicating rejection ratio was ordered as $3^{+}>2^{+}>1^{+}$.

• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.453-458
• /
• 2000

The permeability of oxygen and nitrogen was investigated from the polymeric LB films containing imidazole-metal ion complexes and compared with its corresponding cast films on porous membrane filters. The amphiphilic polymer, poly(N- (2-(4-imidazolyl)ethyl)-maleimide-alt-1-octadecene) (IM-O), was synthesized by reaction of poly(maleic anhydride-alt-1-octadecene) with histamine. The IM-O nonolayer showed high stability on Fe (III) ion-containing subphase. The molecular structure in the LB films was investigated by means of FT-IR spectroscopy. The metal ion concentration incorporated into the LB films was determined by means of XPS measurements. The mechanical stability and uniformity of the LB films on porous substrates were indirectly evidenced by SEM observation. The LB and cast films showed more or less higher selectivity toward nitrogen, and high permeability was found to both the oxygen and nitrogen.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
• /
• v.33 no.1 s.60
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2007

It has been generally known that liposomes become unstable when they contain cyclodextrins (CDs). Our present studies demonstrate that these liposomes can be stable by association of amphiphilic polyelectrolytes. Transmission electron microscopy and photocorrelation spectroscopy results showed that polymer-associated liposomes containing CDs (${\beta}-CD$(${\beta}CD$) and hydroxypropyl-${\beta}CD$ ($HP{\beta}CD$)) were more stable than phosphatidylcholine (PC)-cholesterol (Chol) liposomes containing these CDs. We also compared the stability of PC-Chol liposomes with polymer-associated liposomes containing $HP{\beta}CD$ complexed with water-insoluble drug, rhaponticin (Rh). Two liposomes were relatively stable when $HP{\beta}CD$ did not contain Rh, but Rh-$HP{\beta}CD$ complexes triggered the disruption of PC-Chol liposomes. In contrast, polymer-associated Liposomes containing Rh-$HP{\beta}CD$ complexes maintained its stability over 6 months. The skin permeation test demonstrated that drugs solubilized by CDs were delivered better into the skin of guinea pig by using polymer-associated liposomes than by using PC-Chol liposomes. Above results showed that polymer-associated liposomes gave an effective way to stabilize the liposomes containing drug-loaded CDs, which gives an application of liposomes in drug delivery systems.

• Proceedings of the Korean Fiber Society Conference
• /
• 2003.04a
• /
• pp.1-4
• /
• 2003

The design and synthesis of new polymers is desirable to obtain materials with novel physical properties. Generally, these new polymers have their well-defined nature with the number of functional groups, molecular weight, polydispersity, and the presence or absence of branching being precisely controlledl. These polymers are mainly synthesized by living polymerizations to control of their structures. Among of various living polymerization Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) has been a field of intensive research in recent years1. (omitted)

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2006.10a
• /
• pp.198-198
• /
• 2006

We have identified sodium benzanilide (Na-BA), sodium diphenyl amine (Na-DPA) and sodium deoxibenzoin (Na-DB) as very efficient initiators for the living anionic polymerization of HIC. It has a slow propagation rate with the additive function of chain end protection, offering in the process a perfect control over MW and MWD. The well-defined amphiphilic coil-rod, coil-rod-coil, and rod-coil-rod block-copolymers of PHIC and P2VP with controlled architecture have been synthesized for the first time with ${\sim}100\;%$ yields. The resulting block copolymers showed lamellar film, donuts, solid and hollow micelles, by simply varying the solvents and the block compositions.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.158-161
• /
• 1987

A Series of hydrophilic-hydrophobic copolymeric surfaces of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and various alkyl methacrylate (RMA) have been prepared by in-situ solution copolymerization using a redox radical initiator. Contact angles of various probing fluids on the polymeric surfaces were determined in air (hydrophobic environment) and under water (hydrophilic environment). From contact angle data, the dispersive interaction contribution (${\gamma}^d_s$) and the polar contribution (${\gamma}^p_s$) to the total surface free energy (${\gamma}^d_s$) and interfacial energetic quantities (e.g., water-polymer, liquid-polymer interface, etc.) were estimated by surface and interface physicochemical theory. From the comparison of surface energetic components between hydrophobic and hydrophilic media, it is found that surface and interface energetic components of polymeric surface as a representative low-energy surface are highly dependent on environmental fluids. Also, from the correlation between interfacial energetic results and surface energetic criterion of biocompatibility, we found that HEMA/BMA, HEMA/HMA copolymer systems are in the region of biocompatibility.

• Proceedings of the Polymer Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2006.10a
• /
• pp.101-101
• /
• 2006

We have studied the micellisation of poly(n-butyl acrylate)-block-poly(acrylic acid) and poly(n-butyl acrylate)-graft-poly(acrylic acid) in aqueous solution. The size and structure of the formed micelles was elucidated by scattering and imaging techniques. The micelle structure depends on pH, composition, and topology: graft copolymers form much smaller micelles that block copolymers of similar composition. We have also synthesized block copolymers of acrylic acid and N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) or N,N-diethylacrylamide (DEAAm). Due to the LCST of polyNIPAAm and polyDEAAm, these block copolymers spontaneously form micelles upon heating and they form inverse micelles upon decreasing pH below 4. If the LCST block is much longer than the PAA one, this presents a very convenient way to prepare crew-cut micelles. The polymers have been successfully used as stabilizers in emulsion polymerization. They also have been conjugated to streptavidin. The conjugates reversibly form mesoscopic particles on heating.

• Macromolecular Research
• /
• v.15 no.6
• /
• pp.498-505
• /
• 2007

This study demonstrated the in-situ functionalization with polymers of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) via emulsion polymerization. Polystyrene-functionalized MWNTs were prepared in an aqueous solution containing styrene monomer, non-ionic surfactant and a cationic coupling agent ([2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trime-thylammonium chloride (MATMAC)). This process produced an interesting morphology in which the MWNTs, consisting of bead-string shapes or MWNTs embedded in the beads, when polymer beads were sufficiently large, produced nanohybrid material. This morphology was attributed to the interaction between the cationic coupling agent and the nanotube surface which induced polymerization within the hemimicellar or hemicylindrical structures of surfactant micelles on the surface of the nanotubes. In a solution containing MATMAC alone without surfactant, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were not well-dispersed, and in a solution containing only surfactant without MATMAC, polymeric beads were synthesized in isolation from CNTs and continued to exist separately. The incorporation of MATMAC and surfactant together enabled large amounts of CNTs (> 0.05 wt%) to be well-dispersed in water and very effectively encapsulated by polymer chains. This method could be applied to other well-dispersed CNT solutions containing amphiphilic molecules, regardless of the type (i.e., anionic, cationic or nonionic). In this way, the solubility and dispersion of nanotubes could be increased in a solvent or polymer matrix. By enhancing the interfacial adhesion, this method might also contribute to the improved dispersion of nanotubes in a polymer matrix and thus the creation of superior polymer nanocomposites.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2010.06a
• /
• pp.126.2-126.2
• /
• 2010

The "grafting from" technology to prepare the well-defined microphase-separated structure of polymer using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) will be introduced in this presentation. Various amphiphilic comb copolymers were synthesized through this approach using poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), poly (vinylidene fluoride-co-chlorotrifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-co-CTFE) and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) as a macroinitiator. Hydrophilic side chains such as poly (styrene sulfonic acid) (PSSA) or poly (sulfopropyl methacrylate) (PSPMA) were grafted from the mains chains using direct initiation of the chlorine atoms. The structure of mass transport channels has been controlled and fixed by crosslinking the hydrophobic domains, which also provides the greater mechanical properties of membranes. Successful synthesis and microphase-separated structure of the polymer were confirmed by $^1H$ NMR, FT-IR spectroscopy and TEM. The grafted/crosslinked membranes exhibited good mechanical properties (400 MPa of Young's modulus) and high thermal stability (up to $300^{\circ}C$), as determined by a universal testing machine (UTM) and TGA, respectively.