Stimuli-responsive poly(phenyl acetylene) microparticles with tunable chirality

• Published in: European polymer journal Vol. 118; pp. 275 - 279
• Main Authors: Zhao, Yuanbo, Zhang, Xiacong, Li, Wen, Zhang, Afang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2019; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Antifreeze solutions; Chirality; Copolymerization; Copolymers; Crosslinking; Crosslinking polymerization; Helical polymer; Metal ions; Microparticles; Morphology; Nanoparticles; Poly(phenyl acetylene); Polymeric microparticle; Polyphenylacetylene; Stimuli; Stimuli-responsiveness; Thermoresponsiveness; Helical polymer; Poly(phenyl acetylene); Stimuli-responsiveness; Thermoresponsiveness; Chirality; Polymeric microparticle
• ISSN: 0014-3057; 1873-1945
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2019.05.054

[Display omitted] •Helical dendronized poly(phenyl acetylene) microparticles were fabricated.•Thermally-induced dehydration induced reversible chirality transitions.•Solution pH show significant effect on helical conformation.•OEG dendrons provide shielding effect for coordination of metal ions. Chiral polymeric microparticles combine the characteristics of chirality and spherical morphology in one matter, which may provide confined microenvironments to switch chirality and to promote conformation transition. Here we report on fabrication of chiral polymeric microparticles (CMPs) from dendronized copolymers, and investigation of their tunable chirality upon external stimuli, such as temperature, pH, metal ion complexation and solvents. These polymeric microparticles were constructed via one-pot approach through precipitation copolymerization of phenylacetylene derivatives. The monomers contain dendritic oligoethylene glycol (OEG) to afford copolymers thermoresponsiveness and alkynyl groups for polymerization and crosslinking. Chirality of the polymeric microparticles was afforded by intrinsic chirality from the amino acid moieties. Furthermore, thermoresponsiveness of these microparticles paves a novel route to switch their chirality and mediate their responsive behavior to metal ion coordination.