Cellulose-Based Dual Graft Molecular Brushes as Potential Drug Nanocarriers: Stimulus Responsive Micelles, Self-Assembled Phase Transition Behavior, and Tunable Crystalline Morphologies.
writer：Qiang Yan, Jinying Yuan*, Fengbo Zhang, Xiaofeng Sui, Xuming Xie, Yingwu Yin, Shanfeng Wang, Yen Wei
keywords：/
source：期刊
specific source：Biomacromolecules, 2009, 10: 2033-2042
Issue time：2009年
Well-defined cellulose-based dual graft molecular brushes, composed of ethyl cellulose-graft-poly(N,Ndimethylaminoethyl methacrylate)-graft-poly(ε-caprolactone) (EC-g-PDMAEMA-g-PCL), have been prepared by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Unlike other brush copolymers, the new molecular brushes show some unique physicochemical properties and multifunction due to their unique topological structures. These biocompatible copolymers self-assembled to micelles in aqueous solution.
Upon pH change, the single micelles further assembled into micellar aggregates. As a result, the micelles in aqueous media could act as excellent drug nanocarriers for controlled drug release. The crystallinity and crystal morphology of the copolymers can be controlled to a certain extent by varying the length of the side chains, which may exert strong spacial restriction and, hence, affect the crystal structures.