Monaghan, Olivia Rose (2015) Controlling the Functionality of Block Copolymer Bicontinuous Nanospheres. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) thesis, University of Kent,. (KAR id:57833)
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Abstract
Amphiphilic block copolymers (BCPs) form self-assembled aggregates in solution with a range of morphologies including spherical micelles, cylindrical micelles, vesicles (polymersomes) and bicontinuous nanospheres. This research focuses on the formation of bicontinuous nanospheres using a number of different BCPs for use in thermo-responsive drug delivery.
To further demonstrate the control achieved over the Tm, random copolymers of ODMA and DSMA using a PEO macroinitiator were synthesised at varying wt % ratios of PODMA:PDSMA. DSC analysis of these polymers showed that an increase in PDSMA led to an increase in the Tm for the bulk and self-assembled samples. The controlled release of Ibuprofen from these bicontinuous nanospheres was investigated to determine the rate of release and the optimum temperature for release following a previously used method. The concentration of release was then analysed using HPLC.
To incorporate acid functionality into the bicontinuous nanospheres PMAA-b-PODMA (poly(methacrylic acid)-block-poly(octadecyl methacrylate)) was synthesised (via ATRP) with hydrophilic wt % of 20 %. The self-assembled solution of PMAA-b-PODMA was analysed using cryo-TEM which revealed the presence of bicontinuous nanospheres. Another approach to incorporate acid functionality into bicontinuous nanospheres was the self-assembled of PEO-b-PS and PEO-b-PODMA followed by the alkaline hydrolysis of PEO to leave an acid end group.
Item Type: | Thesis (Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)) |
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Thesis advisor: | Holder, Simon |
Uncontrolled keywords: | Polymer Chemistry Self-Assembly Nanospheres Micelles Block Copolymers |
Subjects: | Q Science > QC Physics |
Divisions: | Divisions > Division of Natural Sciences > School of Physical Sciences |
Depositing User: | Users 1 not found. |
Date Deposited: | 10 Oct 2016 11:00 UTC |
Last Modified: | 16 Feb 2021 13:38 UTC |
Resource URI: | https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/57833 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes) |
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