Tailoring Confinement: Nano-Carrier Synthesis via Z-RAFT Star Polymerization

• Main Authors: Nadja Förster, Sonja Schmidt, Philipp Vana
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2015-04-01
• Series: Polymers
• Subjects: star polymers; reversible-addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT); cross-linking; amphiphilic block copolymers
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/7/4/695

A new pathway to nano-sized hollow-sphere particles from six-arm star polymers with an amphiphilic core-corona structure, synthesized in a four-step-procedure by means of reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization is presented, in order to achieve more stable and versatile nano-container systems, which could be applied in the fields of drug delivery or catalyst storage. Star-shaped amphiphilic, diblock copolymers serve as globular platforms for synthesizing uniform hollow structures. By the introduction of monomer units carrying UV-cross-linkable dimethyl maleimido functionalities into the outer sphere of these star polymers, the carrier’s shell could be stabilized under UV-irradiation. After removal of the RAFT-core—constituting the central hub of the star polymer—by aminolysis, the carrier is ready for loading.