A novel biomimetic polymer as amphiphilic surfactant for soluble and biocompatible carbon nanotubes (CNTs).
Novel amphiphilic diblock copolymer, cholesterol-end-capped poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (CPMPC), which has poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) as hydrophilic segment and cholesterol as hydrophobic segment, was specially designed as amphiphilic surfactant to achieve water-soluble and biocompatible carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The pristine CNTs were facilely dispersed via non-covalently binding the zwitterionic phosphorylcholine-based amphiphile onto the surfaces of the CNTs. It is interesting to find that CPMPC shows better CNTs solubilizing ability compared with the surfactant of pyrene-end-capped poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PPMPC). The biocompatibility of the CPMPC stabilized CNTs was evaluated using cholesterol-end-capped poly(2-(dimethylamino) ethyl methacrylate) (CPDMAEMA), cholesterol-end-capped poly(acrylic acid) (CPAA) and cholesterol-end-capped poly(ethylene oxide) (CPEG) as surfactants for CNTs as controls. While CPDMAEMA stabilized CNTs and CPAA stabilized CNTs showed obvious cytotoxicity, cytotoxicity of this novel zwitterionic phosphorylcholine-based amphiphile stabilized CNTs was not observed as indicated by cell culture. The biocompatible CNTs represent an excellent nano-object for potential biomedical applications.
Xu
Fang-Ming
FM
Department of Polymer Science, Key Laboratory of Macromolecule Synthesis and Functionalization of Minster of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, PR China.
Xu
Jian-Ping
JP
Ji
Jian
J
Shen
Jia-Cong
JC
D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000145:classification; D032701:Biomimetics; D002460:Cell Line; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008689:Methacrylates / Q000737:chemistry; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; D012995:Solubility; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry
D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D008689:Methacrylates; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D011109:Polymethacrylic Acids; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C115766:poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl-phosphorylcholine); D010767:Phosphorylcholine; D002784:Cholesterol