Oxidation-responsive micelles based on a selenium-containing polymeric superamphiphile.
We have fabricated a polymeric superamphiphile based on the electrostatic interaction between the double hydrophilic block copolymer of poly(ethylene glycol)-b-acrylic acid (PEG-b-PAA) and a selenium-containing surfactant (SeQTA). The polymeric superamphiphiles are able to self-assemble to form micelles in solution. The micelles can be disassembled with the addition of 0.1% H(2)O(2) because SeQTA is very sensitive to oxidation. The selenide group in SeQTA is oxidized into selenoxide (SeQTA-Ox) by H(2)O(2), which makes the surfactant more hydrophilic, thus leading to the disassembly of the micelles. In addition, small guest molecules such as fluorescein sodium can be loaded into the micelles made from the polymeric superamphiphiles and released in a controlled way under mild oxidation conditions. This study represents a new way to fabricate stimuli-responsive superamphiphiles for controlled self-assembly and disassembly.
Han
Peng
P
Key Lab of Organic Optoelectronics & Molecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
Ma
Ning
N
Ren
Huifeng
H
Xu
Huaping
H
Li
Zhibo
Z
Wang
Zhiqiang
Z
Zhang
Xi
X
D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D019793:Fluorescein / Q000737:chemistry; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008823:Micelles; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012996:Solutions; D055672:Static Electricity; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry
D000180:Acrylic Resins; D008823:Micelles; D016566:Organoselenium Compounds; D011108:Polymers; D012996:Solutions; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D019793:Fluorescein