Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ekaterina Naumenko, Farida Akhatova, Elvira Rozhina, Rawil Fakhrullin
Summary: This study assessed the cytotoxicity of various water-soluble, positively charged synthetic polyelectrolytes on cell cultures. Addition of polyelectrolytes disrupted 3D cellular cluster formation in a dose-dependent manner, and atomic force microscopy was used to visualize the structures of the polyelectrolyte-DNA complexes. The results revealed a relationship between the structure of the polyelectrolytes and their toxicity, which is important for optimizing drug and gene delivery systems.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Lars Wagberg, Johan Erlandsson
Summary: This review discusses the current knowledge about the formation of layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assemblies using combinations of nanocelluloses (NCs) and polyelectrolytes. It focuses on the fundamentals behind LbL formation with a special emphasis on NCs, as well as the limiting factors for the formation of LbLs of only NCs and the combination of NCs and polyelectrolytes/nanoparticles. The review also highlights the ability of NCs and polyelectrolytes to form dense films with excellent mechanical properties and tailored optical properties, and explores the potential uses of LbLs containing NCs.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Zhe Xiao, Lin-Hao Liu, Teng Liu, Dan Yang, Xiang Jia, Yu-Kun Du, Shuo-Qi Li, Wen-Jiu Yang, Yong-Ming Xi, Rong-Chang Zeng
Summary: Polyelectrolyte-coated magnesium alloy was prepared using layer-by-layer assembly with poly(allylamine hydro-chloride) (PAH) and sodium alginate (ALG). The influence of genipin as a crosslinking agent on the coatings' microscopic features and corrosion resistance was examined. The results showed that the crosslinked coating exhibited improved anticorrosive property and enhanced cytocompatibility, suggesting that crosslinking treatment could improve the performance of LbL assembled multilayer coatings.
PROGRESS IN ORGANIC COATINGS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Miryam Criado-Gonzalez, Deborah Wagner, Muhammad Haseeb Iqbal, Aymeric Ontani, Alain Carvalho, Marc Schmutz, Joseph B. Schlenoff, Pierre Schaaf, Loic Jierry, Fouzia Boulmedais
Summary: The spatial control of supramolecular self-assembly plays a vital role in the design of artificial cells, with the study demonstrating the successful self-assembly of phosphorylated peptides on complex coacervate microdroplets. This process leads to the formation of structured peptide/PAH capsules and fibrillar self-assembled structures at interfaces, showing potential for the development of compartmentalized structures in artificial cells.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Peng Ding, Lusha Chen, Cheng Wei, Wenjuan Zhou, Chendan Li, Jiahua Wang, Mingwei Wang, Xuhong Guo, Martien A. Cohen Stuart, Junyou Wang
Summary: A novel strategy for preparing stable coacervate nanoparticles, termed electrostatic assembly directed polymerization (EADP), is proposed in this study. The nanoparticles exhibit high salt stability and scalability, with tunable size and properties, allowing for scaled-up production.
MACROMOLECULAR RAPID COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Artemii S. Ivanov, Lyubov Pershina, Konstantin G. Nikolaev, Ekaterina Skorb
Summary: Polyelectrolytes play a crucial role in the development of new materials, allowing for the creation of new properties of materials and surfaces. They are utilized in layer-by-layer deposition, free-standing films, and hydrogels, with applications in giving surfaces new properties, designing membranes and sensors, and showcasing applicability in electrical and materials science. Exciting new technologies have been developed with polyelectrolytes over the last five years.
MACROMOLECULAR BIOSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Nikolay Ryzhkov, Olesya Ledovich, Lara Eggert, Andreas Bund, Agnieszka Paszuk, Thomas Hannappel, Konstantin Klyukin, Vitaly Alexandrov, Ekaterina Skorb
Summary: Polyelectrolyte layer-by-layer assemblies are effective in mitigating photocorrosion on GaP photocathode surfaces without reducing photoconversion efficiency. The activity of these assemblies is based on buffering pH changes and impeding dissolution kinetics at the solid-liquid interface. The protective coatings showed promising results in preventing corrosion and maintaining photoconversion efficiencies.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Antoine Dowek, Florent Voisin, Laetitia Le, Celine Tan, J. M. Mallet, Florent Carn, Eric Caudron
Summary: This study focuses on the improvement and control of SERS analysis by optimizing the aggregation/self-assembly of AuNPs using quaternized chitosan. The results show that the use of polyelectrolyte chains can stabilize neutral AuNPs aggregates, leading to significant enhancement of Raman signal. The stable and sensitive measurements of epinephrine at low concentrations were achieved, and the signal remained stable in complex media such as isotonic sodium chloride and glucose.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Michal Szuwarzynski, Lukasz Mazur, Mariusz Borkowski, Krzysztof Mackosz, Konrad Gizynski, Tomasz Mazur
Summary: Polymer stamping is a reliable and cost-effective method for producing charged patterned surfaces. The stability of the charge is limited, but by using polyelectrolytes as the stamping medium, the stability can be increased. This method allows for the production of high-resolution microstructures. Overall, this technique has a significant impact and is given a rating of 7 out of 10.
ACS APPLIED NANO MATERIALS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shouwei Zhang, Fan Xia, Sophie Demoustier-Champagne, Alain M. Jonas
Summary: Layer-by-layer assembly is a versatile technology for constructing multifunctional nanomaterials with fine control over thickness and structure, suitable for various applications in nanochannels with different growth mechanisms. It shows potential for numerous applications in fields such as nanoreactors, drug delivery, and fluidic devices.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Florencia A. Gulotta, Veronica Paz Zanini, Beatriz A. Lopez de Mishima, Debora M. Martino, Omar E. Linarez Perez, Nancy F. Ferreyra
Summary: In this study, self-assembled structures of gold nanoparticles were built using a new polyelectrolyte. The optical and electrochemical properties of the structure were explored for potential sensor applications. Surface plasmon resonance and atomic force microscopy revealed the distribution and electromagnetic coupling of the AuNPs in different polymer forms.
JOURNAL OF ELECTROANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Jue Wang, Ming Guo, Yonghong Luo, Dongwei Shao, Shengbo Ge, Liping Cai, Changlei Xia, Su Shiung Lam
Summary: The magnetic polyelectrolyte composite nanospheres SA@AM exhibit high adsorption capacity and regeneration performance for the removal of heavy metal pollutants, providing useful information for the production of eco-friendly magnetic nano scale adsorption materials for environmental remediation applications.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Abraham Francisco Palomec Garfias, Katiuscia Vieira Jardim, Leonardo Ruiz-Ortega, Barbara Yasmin Garcia, Sonia Nair Bao, Alexandre Luis Parize, Marcelo Henrique Sousa, Cesar Marquez Beltran
Summary: We examined the cytotoxicity of polyelectrolyte-quercetin-coated iron oxide nanoparticles on human ovarian carcinoma cells. The nanoparticles were synthesized using chemical co-precipitation and coated with polyelectrolytes using layer-by-layer technique. We observed a significant reduction in cell viability when quercetin was loaded in the system, indicating its potential as a drug carrier for cancer chemotherapy.
COLLOID AND POLYMER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
Andre Pawlak, Sabrina Belbekhouche
Summary: Researchers developed a method to encapsulate Escherichia coli in polymer shells, covering the bacterial surface with polyelectrolyte layers to successfully control the growth delay of the bacteria.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Henrik Siegel, Alessio J. Sprockel, Matthew S. Schwenger, Jesse M. Steenhoff, Iske Achterhuis, Wiebe M. de Vos, Martin F. Haase
Summary: Ultrafiltration membranes are crucial for producing freshwater in a water-scarce world. A recent method called solvent transfer induced phase separation (STrIPS) has been used to create porous membranes. This study investigates the dynamics of hollow fiber structure evolution during STrIPS and demonstrates the separation performance of the resulting membrane in ultrafiltration.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Max Hohenschutz, Pierre Bauduin, Carlos G. Lopez, Beate Foerster, Walter Richtering
Summary: Nanometer-sized anions (nano-ions) exhibit superchaotropic behavior, which enhances the viscosity and induces gelation of aqueous solutions of non-ionic cellulose ethers (CEs). This is due to the interplay of attractive and repulsive forces between CE-chains upon nano-ion binding. Superchaotropic nano-ion binding is a novel and general physical crosslinking motif for CE-solutions.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sarah K. Wypysek, Silvia P. Centeno, Till Gronemann, Dominik Woell, Walter Richtering
Summary: Microgels with specific architectural and chemical design can selectively absorb and release small molecules, or protect their cargo from the environment. This study focuses on the synthesis and analysis of hollow anionic p(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-itaconic acid) microgels, as well as investigating their interactions with cytochrome c protein at different pH values. The results reveal that cytochrome c is mainly trapped within the microgel, with pH controlling its localization.
MACROMOLECULAR BIOSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Alexander Petrunin, Steffen Bochenek, Walter Richtering, Andrea Scotti
Summary: Ultra-low crosslinked (ULC) nanogels can efficiently stabilize emulsions, showing resistance to droplet flocculation, stability against coalescence, and responsiveness to temperature changes. The polymer-particle duality of ULC nanogels can be utilized to enhance emulsion properties for various applications.
PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Thomas Nevolianis, Andrea Scotti, Alexander V. Petrunin, Walter Richtering, Kai Leonhard
Summary: Obtaining deuterated micro- and nanogels is crucial for studying their architecture and response to crowding. Experimental studies have shown that deuterated microgels have a higher volume phase transition temperature (VPTT) than hydrogenated microgels. However, the impact of deuteration on microgel properties is not fully understood, raising questions about their responsiveness, structure, and compressibility.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Mattis Wachendoerfer, Eva Miriam Buhl, Ghazi Ben Messaoud, Walter Richtering, Horst Fischer
Summary: This study investigates the cross-linking mechanisms of fibrin-collagen blends and suggests that chemical cross-linkers have a minor role. It is found that pH and thrombin concentration play a crucial role in the synthesis of blends with high stiffness and hydrolytic stability. The study reveals that the blends mainly cross-link through physical interactions, leading to a highly interpenetrating fibrous network with interconnected open-porous microstructures.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Fabian Hagemans, Fabrizio Camerin, Nabanita Hazra, Janik Lammertz, Frederic Dux, Giovanni Del Monte, Olli-Ville Laukkanen, Jerome J. Crassous, Emanuela Zaccarelli, Walter Richtering
Summary: Hollow microgels are interesting model systems that can deform, interpenetrate, and shrink under certain conditions. In this study, microgels with a micrometer-sized cavity were characterized using fluorescence microscopy techniques. It was found that these microgels reversibly buckle above a critical osmotic pressure, unlike smaller hollow microgels which deswell at high volume fractions. Simulations confirmed the buckling transition and suggested that a thin shell model theory can describe the behavior of these microgels. The microgels, referred to as microgel capsules, can be used to probe interfacial properties and mimic anisotropic responsive biological systems.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Hung-Pang Lee, Kathy Xiao Cai, Ting-Ching Wang, Ryan Davis Jr, Kaivalya Deo, Kanwar Abhay Singh, Tanmay P. Lele, Akhilesh K. Gaharwar
Summary: Granular hydrogels assembled through the jamming process have great potential for biomedical applications such as tissue regeneration, drug/cell delivery, and 3D printing. However, current methods for interconnecting the microgels often have limitations, necessitating postprocessing for crosslinking. To address this, we introduced a thiol-functionalized thermo-responsive polymer into oxidized hyaluronic acid microgel assemblies. This two-stage crosslinking system provides injectability, shape stability, mechanical integrity, and sustained drug release, making it suitable for various biomedical applications.
JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH PART A
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Anna L. Kersey, Thuy-Uyen Nguyen, Biswadeep Nayak, Irtisha Singh, Akhilesh K. Gaharwar
Summary: Recent developments in biomedical engineering have focused on designing smart and bio-responsive materials. Recent technological advances in biology, specifically in omics techniques, can provide high-throughput functional readouts of the cellular and molecular interactions. These omics-based approaches have the potential to revolutionize biomedical research and replace traditional trial and error approaches in designing the next-generation of biomaterials.
Editorial Material
Chemistry, Physical
Akhilesh K. Gaharwar, Irtisha Singh
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Shounak Roy, Kaivalya A. Aastha, Kaivalya Deo, Kashmira K. Dey, Akhilesh Gaharwar, Amit Jaiswal
Summary: Two-dimensional nanomaterials have made significant contributions to advancements in material sciences and nanotechnology. However, the translation of these materials in biomedicine is limited due to a lack of understanding and control over their interactions with complex biological systems. This review critically discusses the potential interactions between proteins and 2D nanomaterials, along with various analytical techniques that can be used to study and characterize these interactions.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Siyang He, Simon Schog, Ying Chen, Yuxin Ji, Sinan Panitz, Walter Richtering, Robert Goestl
Summary: The serial connection of multiple stimuli-responses in polymer architectures enables the gating of functional material processes on demand. In this study, a photoswitchable diarylethene is used as a crosslinker in poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) microgels to induce a shift in volume phase-transition temperature (VPTT). By switching the microgels from the swollen to the collapsed state using light, their response to mechanical force can be controlled. This photoinduced mechanical cloaking system operates on a polymer topology level and is universally applicable.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ghazi Ben Messaoud, Sanja Aveic, Mattis Wachendoerfer, Horst Fischer, Walter Richtering
Summary: Porous hydrogels derived from aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) are an interesting alternative to overcome the restricted porosity of most hydrogels in vitro. By tuning the phase behavior and concentration, ATPS hydrogels with three distinct microstructures, including bicontinuous hydrogels with interconnected pores, can be formed. These ATPS hydrogels show cytocompatibility and can sustain their unique porous structure when processed by inkjet and microextrusion techniques.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Hung-Pang Lee, Ryan Davis, Ting-Ching Wang, Kaivalya A. Deo, Kathy Xiao Cai, Daniel L. Alge, Tanmay P. Lele, Akhilesh K. Gaharwar
Summary: Granular hydrogels with reversible interparticle cross-linking were developed, providing injectable and 3D printable properties. The interparticle cross-linking was achieved through weak hydrazone bonds, enabling high mechanical stability without the need for secondary cross-linking. These granular hydrogels also exhibited enhanced cell recruitment due to their porosity and sustained release of growth factors.
ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Mattis Wachendorfer, Philipp Schraeder, Eva Miriam Buhl, Alena L. Palkowitz, Ghazi Ben Messaoud, Walter Richtering, Horst Fischer
Summary: By subjecting the gelatin component to controlled heat treatment prior to blend synthesis, it is possible to influence the properties of the hydrogel blends, improving long-term stability and opening up new possibilities for tissue engineering in vitro experiments.
BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Andrea Scotti, Urs Gasser, Alexander Petrunin, Lisa Fruhner, Walter Richtering, Judith E. Houston
Summary: This study used small-angle neutron scattering to investigate the bulk modulus of polymeric nanocapsules and found that the size of the cavity is the most important factor determining the softness of the nanocapsules.