Self-assembly of beta-cyclodextrin and pluronic into hollow nanospheres in aqueous solution.
This paper studies self-assembly of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) and tri-block pluronic (PEG-PPG-PEG) in aqueous solution. It was found that they could form hollow spheres due to the formation of coil-rod beta-CD/PEG-PPG-PEG inclusion complexes. In these beta-CD/PEG-PPG-PEG complexes, the beta-CDs are preferentially stacked along the PPG block of pluronic to form rod block and PEG segments act as coil block. The assemblies of beta-CD/PEG-PPG-PEG complexes show dependence of beta-CDs concentration and temperature. Furthermore, the aggregates will disrupt upon dilution below the critical micelle concentration.
Qin
Jie
J
State Key Laboratory of Polymer Materials Engineering (Sichuan University), Polymer Research Institute of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, PR China.
Meng
Xianwei
X
Li
Bangjing
B
Ha
Wei
W
Yu
Xiaoqi
X
Zhang
Sheng
S
D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D054118:Nanospheres; D020442:Poloxamer / Q000737:chemistry*; D012996:Solutions; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D047392:beta-Cyclodextrins / Q000737:chemistry*
D012996:Solutions; D047392:beta-Cyclodextrins; D014867:Water; D020442:Poloxamer