Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yuhang Huang, Shangyu Li, Logan W. C. Zettle, Yingshan Ma, Hani E. E. Naguib, Eugenia Kumacheva
Summary: Chronic wounds show high levels of cell-free deoxyribonucleic acid (cfDNA), leading to prolonged inflammation and non-healing wounds. Nanogels derived from chitosan and poly{2-[(acryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride} were found to scavenge cfDNA efficiently due to their positive charge and network structure. The enhanced cfDNA scavenging ability and biocompatibility of the nanogels make them a promising component for chronic wound dressings.
Article
Polymer Science
Xin Wang, Xuhong Guo, Martien Cohen A. Stuart, Junyou Wang, Peng Ding
Summary: In this study, cationic polyelectrolyte nanogels were successfully synthesized by Electrostatic Assembly Directed Polymerization (EADP) method and used to load gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The catalytic activity of the loaded AuNPs was found to be dependent on the crosslinking degree of the nanogels, but independent on the nanogel size. This demonstrates the potential of polyelectrolyte nanogels for developing functional nanoreactors.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Enyu Fu, Kaimin Chen, Qiaoling Wang, Ying Zhang, Nana Yan, Li Liu
Summary: Pickering emulsions, known for their solid emulsifiers and stability, have attracted attention. Salt ions, such as Cl- and ClO4-, can induce stable Pickering emulsions under optimized conditions, while PO43- cannot. Increasing salt concentration above a critical point leads to rapid demulsification of the emulsion.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Chen Hua, Kaimin Chen, Xuhong Guo
Summary: Glycoproteins are important in biological activities and disease diagnosis, and a facile and eco-friendly method to fabricate spherical polymer brushes with multiple boronic acid groups for glycoprotein separation has been developed. The material shows fast binding speed and high capacity for glycoproteins under physiological conditions, indicating potential for disease diagnosis.
JOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY B
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Xuejie Liu, Jinlan Li, Nan Yan, Wei Jiang
Summary: Herein, we report the construction of uniform core-shell hybrid nanorods with the regioselective distribution of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) by selectively disassembling the prepared NPs/polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinyl-pyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) hybrid nanosheets. By adjusting the parameters, such as complexation ability, protonation degree, and complexation time, the NPs/polymer core-shell hybrid nanorods with uniform distribution of NPs and dumbbell-like hybrid nanorods with selective distribution of NPs at both ends can be obtained.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ujjawal Bairagi, Josemon Jacob
Summary: A new stable and functional polyzwitterion was synthesized, showing bidirectional pH responsiveness and formation of dendritic fractal structures. Various elementary anions were successfully introduced into the hydrogels, demonstrating bidirectional swelling behavior. Anion release studies indicated high cumulative release rates for nitrate and phosphate anions, suggesting potential applications in agriculture and healthcare.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Liang Sun, Haoya Han, Zhiyong Liu, Zhinan Fu, Chen Hua, Enguang Ma, Jiangtao Guo, Jichang Liu, Li Li, Bo Fang, Xuhong Guo
Summary: The distribution and stability of nanosized gold nanoparticles in spherical polymer brushes were studied, and small-angle X-ray scattering was validated as an effective characterization method.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Chen Hua, Ziwei Li, Kaimin Chen, Liang Sun, Liang Yu, Xuhong Guo
Summary: Zwitterionic polymer brushes are widely used as hydrophilic and antifouling materials, but they still exhibit adsorption for proteins and other substances in practical application. In this study, a simple and efficient method was employed to prepare zwitterionic spherical polymer brushes and study their interaction with proteins. The findings have important implications for the development of zwitterionic materials with controllable adsorption and desorption of proteins.
INDUSTRIAL & ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Haiyun Liu, Na Ren, Yi Gao, Tingfan Wu, Boren Sui, Zhen Liu, Bin Chang, Man Huang, Hong Liu
Summary: In this study, a miRNA detection strategy based on the self-assembly of AuNPs induced by the hairpin probe-guided DNAzyme walker enzyme cleavage and walk was established. This strategy utilizes the continuous mechanical motion characteristics of DNAzyme walker to improve reaction efficiency and achieves ultra-sensitive detection using dynamic light scattering technology. It has also been successfully applied to analyze target miRNAs in cancer cell samples.
DALTON TRANSACTIONS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Ziyu Zhang, Yuhua Zhang, Yang Tian, Zhinan Fu, Jiangtao Guo, Guofeng He, Li Li, Fang Zhao, Xuhong Guo
Summary: This paper reports the successful continuous preparation of nanosized spherical polyelectrolyte brushes (SPBs) in a self-made microreactor. The effects of residence time, monomer concentration, and feed ratios on the conversion of monomers and SPB structures were investigated. The SPBs obtained in the microreactor exhibited a short reaction time, narrow size distribution, and effective inhibition of calcium carbonate scale.
Article
Polymer Science
Gozde Aktas Eken, Christopher K. Ober
Summary: This study reports a method to prepare strong polyelectrolyte brushes with good hydration properties by controlling the alternating copolymer structures. The results demonstrate that reducing the number of charged units is an effective approach to lower the tension along the polymer chains. The study also highlights the importance of the spacers in the swelling behavior and wettability of the brushes.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Liping Zhao, Mingxia Jiang, Zhilu Xu, Fengshuo Sun, Xinghan Wu, Mogen Zhang, Xiuwen Guan, Jinlong Ma, Weifen Zhang
Summary: A self-regulating photothermal conversion system based on self-assembling gold nanoparticles was designed for selective thermotherapy. The system demonstrated selective heating effect in both in vitro and in vivo models, achieving good tumor inhibition without damaging normal tissue. This work offers a novel validation protocol for tumor thermotherapy and provides an evaluation methodology for precise cancer therapy.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Maximilian Wagner, Cristian A. Strassert, Franziska Groehn
Summary: We demonstrated a versatile approach to fabricate functional multi-component nanostructures by utilizing hierarchical electrostatic nanotemplating and self-assembly. The CdS-polyelectrolyte-porphyrin structures formed in aqueous solution were investigated for their photocatalytic activity and the mechanisms upon excitation.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Wenhao Dong, Zhimao Yang, Jie He, Chuncai Kong, Zhihong Nie
Summary: This article describes the vesicular self-assembly of shaped nanoparticles, such as gold nanocubes grafted with amphiphilic block copolymers, in selective solvents. The nanocubes assembled within the vesicular membranes exhibit two distinctive packing modes, namely square-like and hexagonal packing, depending on the relative dimensions of the copolymer ligands and nanocubes. The corresponding optical properties of the plasmonic nanovesicles can be tuned by varying the length of the grafted copolymers and the size of the nanocubes. This work provides guidance for the fabrication of functional plasmonic vesicles for applications in catalysis, nanomedicines, and optical devices.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jian Zhang, Dezhi Zhu, Jianfeng Yan, Chang-An Wang
Summary: A new ultrafast laser-induced SMSI strategy has been proposed for constructing SMSI on a CeO2-supported Pt system, leading to enhanced activity and stability of the catalyst through the formation of surface defects and thin overlayer. This strategy can be extended to other noble metal systems and non-reducible oxide supports, providing a universal approach for engineering high-performance supported noble metal catalysts.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sandra Forg, Alexandra Karbacher, Zhishuang Ye, Xuhong Guo, Regine von Klitzing
Summary: The combination of stimuli-responsive properties of gels with adhesive properties of mussels has great potential in various fields, including life science. This study focuses on the copolymerization of PNIPAM microgels with DMA to tailor microgels with adhesive properties. The reaction kinetics and synthesis parameters are investigated to optimize the synthesis strategy. The amount of DMA incorporated and the dependence of the hydrodynamic radius on temperature are successfully determined. Preliminary adhesion tests show that P(NIPAM-co-DMA) microgels exhibit increased adhesion compared to pure PNIPAM microgels when mechanical stress is applied.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Marcus U. Witt, Joachim Landers, Stephan Hinrichs, Soma Salamon, Juri Kopp, Birgit Hankiewicz, Heiko Wende, Regine von Klitzing
Summary: This paper investigates the coupling of magnetic nanoparticles with temperature-sensitive microgels and their response to magnetic fields. The study finds that the shrinkage of microgels significantly changes the magnetic properties, and modifying the microgels can affect their swelling ability and magnetic response. These findings are important for designing multi responsive systems with tunable particle matrix coupling strength.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Larissa Braun, Martin Uhlig, Oliver Loehmann, Richard A. Campbell, Emanuel Schneck, Regine von Klitzing
Summary: This paper investigates the effect of polyelectrolyte stiffness on the surface structure of polyelectrolyte/surfactant mixtures and finds that the interfacial structures can be tuned by adjusting the flexibility of the polyelectrolyte molecules. These findings are significant for improving applications based on the adsorption of polyelectrolyte/surfactant mixtures in fields such as cosmetics or oil recovery.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Sebastian Stock, Regine von Klitzing
Summary: This review discusses the function of microgels at the droplet interface to stabilize water-in-oil emulsions. Various approaches to stabilize water-in-oil emulsions with microgels are highlighted, including novel microgel modifications and assisted co-stabilization with soft or hard particles. The accumulated knowledge, challenges, and future research trends in this field are summarized.
CURRENT OPINION IN COLLOID & INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sebastian Stock, Susanne Roehl, Luca Mirau, Matthias Kraume, Regine von Klitzing
Summary: The incorporation of soft hydrophilic particles at the interface of water in non-polar oil emulsion droplets is crucial, but it is not possible to stabilize the emulsions with hydrophilic soft material alone. Previous works have shown that using hydrophobic silica nanospheres and charged microgel particles is an effective strategy to stabilize w/o emulsions while incorporating a large amount of microgel particles at the interface.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Matthias Kuhnhammer, Larissa Braun, Michael Ludwig, Olaf Soltwedel, Leonardo Chiappisi, Regine von Klitzing
Summary: The article presents a new model to describe the scattering data from foams. The model takes into account the complex structure of foams and provides information on the thickness distribution of liquid films inside the foam. The results show that the average film thickness decreases and the polydispersity increases with decreasing water content.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED CRYSTALLOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Larissa Braun, Regine von Klitzing
Summary: Foam films play a crucial role in determining the performance of macroscopic foams and can be used to study surface forces. This study investigates the effects of salt on the stability of foam films formed by mixtures of oppositely charged polyelectrolyte and surfactant. It is found that a small amount of salt weakens the electrostatic repulsion and decreases the film stability, while a large amount of salt unexpectedly increases the film stability due to additional steric stabilization provided by the polyelectrolyte/surfactant complexes in the film bulk.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Max Hirschmann, Olaf Soltwedel, Philipp Ritzert, Regine von Klitzing, Christina M. Thiele
Summary: Two polyaspartates, PpFABLA (1) and co-polyaspartate PpFABLA-co-PBLA [11, 75% (n/n) PpFABLA content], bearing ortho-fluorinated azo-benzenes (pFAB) as photo-responsive groups, undergo reversible coil-helix transition in solution through the E/Z-isomerization of the side chain. The thermal stability of the Z-isomer is increased by pFAB, and the helix formation is effectively prevented. The helical polymer forms a lyotropic liquid crystal (LLC) and orients unidirectionally inside a magnetic field, while the coil polymer results in an isotropic solution.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Victoria Davis, Nina Heidary, Amandine Guiet, Khoa Hoang Ly, Maximilian Zerball, Claudia Schulz, Norbert Michael, Regine von Klitzing, Peter Hildebrandt, Stefan Frielingsdorf, Oliver Lenz, Ingo Zebger, Anna Fischer
Summary: The oxygen tolerance of membrane-bound [NiFe] hydrogenase (MBH) from Cupriavidus necator makes it an attractive electrocatalyst for hydrogen energy conversion devices. By immobilizing MBH with affinity tags on a tin-rich indium tin oxide (ITOTR) electrode, hydrogen oxidation and an unusually high proton reduction current were observed, suggesting bidirectionality in unidirectional [NiFe] hydrogenases. The favorable enzyme-semiconductor interactions contribute to this behavior.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Susanne Roehl, Lena Hohl, Sebastian Stock, Manlin Zhan, Tobias Kopf, Regine von Klitzing, Matthias Kraume
Summary: In this study, a first approach to model drop size distributions in agitated nanoparticle-stabilized liquid/liquid systems with population balance equations is presented. A novel modified coalescence efficiency is developed for the population balance framework, considering the effect of steric hindrance of nanoparticles at the liquid/liquid interface. The modified submodel is validated with experimental data of water-in-oil dispersions stabilized by silica nanoparticles.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Larissa Braun, Max Hohenschutz, Olivier Diat, Regine von Klitzing, Pierre Bauduin
Summary: In recent research, it was found that the superchaotropic Keggin polyoxometalate alpha-SiW12O404 (SiW) can stabilize non-ionic surfactant foams through electrostatic repulsion. The precise mechanism of foam stabilization by SiW remained unresolved. Imaging and conductimetry were used to monitor the foam collapse, while small angle neutron scattering (SANS) tracked the evolution of film thickness. Thin film pressure balance (TFPB) measurements quantified the resistance of single foam films to external pressure and identified intra-film forces. The findings showed that SiW induces electrostatic repulsion within foam films at low SiW/surfactant ratios, and above a concentration threshold, excess SiW screens the electrostatic repulsion, resulting in thinner foam films. Despite this, the foam and single foam films remained stable due to an additional steric stabilizing force from trapped micelles inside the foam films, which acted as a surfactant reservoir and promoted self-healing of the interface, leading to more resilient foam films compared to bare surfactant foams/films.
JOURNAL OF COLLOID AND INTERFACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Yanliang Ji, Simon Becker, Zichen Lu, Alexander Mezhov, Regine von Klitzing, Schmidt Wolfram, Dietmar Stephan
Summary: This study reveals the significant influence of resting time on the rheological properties of cement suspensions, which is closely related to non-absorbed polycarboxylate superplasticizers (PCEs) size variation. Adsorbed PCE during resting tends to bridge particles instead of dispersing them, leading to an increased yield stress.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Max Hirschmann, Olaf Soltwedel, Philipp Ritzert, Regine von Klitzing, Christina M. Thiele
Summary: Two polyaspartates with ortho-fluorinated azo-benzenes (pFAB) as photo-responsive groups in the side chain were synthesized: PpFABLA (1) and co-polyaspartate PpFABLA-co-PBLA [11, 75%(n/n) PpFABLA content]. PpFABLA (1) undergoes a visible-light-induced reversible coil-helix transition in solution due to the E/Z-isomerization of the side chain. PpFABLA-co-PBLA (11) forms a helix independently of the E/Z-isomerization of the side chain and exhibits changes in the morphology and dipolar coupling.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Matthias Kuehnhammer, Kevin Graeff, Edwin Loran, Olaf Soltwedel, Oliver Loehmann, Henrich Frielinghaus, Regine von Klitzing
Summary: In this study, thermoresponsive microgels made from poly(N-isopropyl-acrylamide) were used as foam stabilizers, and the structuring of the microgels inside the foam films was investigated to understand their formation mechanism.
Article
Polymer Science
Atieh Razavi, Matthias Rutsch, Sonja Wismath, Mario Kupnik, Regine von Klitzing, Amin Rahimzadeh
Summary: This study investigates the use of high-frequency ultrasound to stimulate PNIPAM microgels and break the hydrogen bonds between water molecules. The absorption of ultrasound energy leads to the collapse of microgels and an increase in solution turbidity. The increase in solution concentration and ultrasound frequency accelerates the evolution of turbidity.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yiping Yin, Zhe Wang, Hua Zou
Summary: This study presents a novel method for preparing dimpled polymer-silica nanocomposite particles using interfacial swelling-based seeded polymerization. The optimized conditions allow for a relatively high percentage of dimpled particles to be achieved.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Brenden D. Hoehn, Elizabeth A. Kellstedt, Marc A. Hillmyer
Summary: Porous materials with nanometer-scale pores have important applications as nanoporous membranes. In this study, ABA triblock copolymers were used as precursors to produce nanoporous polymeric membranes (NPMs) in thin film form by degrading the end blocks. Polycyclooctene (PCOE) NPMs with tunable pore sizes were successfully prepared using solvent casting technique. Oxygen plasma etching was employed to improve the surface porosity and hydrophilicity of the membranes. This study provides a straightforward method to produce tough NPMs with high porosity and hydrophilic surface properties.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Vladislav S. Petrovskii, Stepan I. Zholudev, Igor I. Potemkin
Summary: This article investigates the behavior of linear and ring polypeptide chains in aqueous solution and explores the properties of the complexes formed by these chains with oppositely charged surfactants. The results demonstrate that the complexes of linear supercharged unfolded polypeptides and the corresponding surfactants exhibit impressive adhesive properties.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Merve Cevik, Serkan Dikici
Summary: Cardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of death globally, and vascular grafts are a promising treatment option. This study focuses on tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) using decellularized parsley stems as a potential biomaterial. The decellularized parsley stems showed suitable properties for TEVGs, providing a suitable environment for human endothelial cells to form a pseudo endothelium. This study showcases the potential of using parsley stems for TEVGs.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Gustavo A. Vasquez-Montoya, Tadej Emersic, Noe Atzin, Antonio Tavera-Vazquez, Ali Mozaffari, Rui Zhang, Orlando Guzman, Alexey Snezhko, Paul F. Nealey, Juan J. de Pablo
Summary: The optical properties of liquid crystals are typically controlled by electric fields. In this study, we investigate the effects of microfluidic flows and acoustic fields on the molecular orientation and optical response of nematic liquid crystals. We identify several previously unknown structures and explain them through calculations and simulations. These findings hold promise for the development of new systems combining sound, flow, and confinement.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Xinjun Wu, Xin Guan, Shushu Chen, Jiangpeng Jia, Chongyi Chen, Jiawei Zhang, Chuanzhuang Zhao
Summary: This research presents a novel shape memory hydrogel with a remodelable permanent shape and programmable cold-induced shape recovery behavior. The hydrogel is prepared using specific treatment methods to achieve shape fixation by heating and shape recovery by cooling. Additionally, deformable devices can be obtained by assembling hydrogel blocks with different concentrations.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Rebecca Hengsbach, Gerhard Fink, Ulrich Simon
Summary: This study examines the properties of DNA functionalized pNipmam microgels and pure pNipmam microgels at different concentrations of sodium chloride and in PBS solutions using temperature dependent H-1-NMR measurements. The results show that DNA modification affects the volume phase transition temperature and the addition of salt and PBS further enhances this effect.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ningyi Li, Junhong Li, Lijingting Qing, Shicheng Ma, Yao Li, Baohui Li
Summary: This paper investigates the self-assembly behavior of colloids with competing interactions under spherical confinement and finds that different ordered structures can be formed under different sized spherical confinements. Moreover, more perforated structures are formed in smaller spheres.
