title: Let there be light: photo-cross-linked block copolymer nanoparticles.
abstract: Polymeric nanoparticles are prepared by selectively cross-linking a photo-sensitive dimethylmaleimide-containing block of a diblock copolymer via UV irradiation. A well-defined photo-cross-linkable block copolymer is prepared via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of a dimethylmaleimide-functional acrylamido monomer containing photoreactive pendant groups with a poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (PDMA) macro-chain transfer agent. The resulting amphiphilic block copolymers form micelles in water with a hydrophilic PDMA shell and a hydrophobic photo-cross-linkable dimethylmaleimide-containing core. UV irradiation results in photodimerization of the dimethylmaleimide groups within the micelle cores to yield core-cross-linked aggregates. Alternatively, UV irradiation of homogeneous solutions of the block copolymer in a non-selective solvent leads to in situ nanoparticle formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Southern Methodist University, 3215 Daniel Avenue, Dallas, TX, 75275-0314, USA.
authors.forename: Debashish
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: George & Josephine Butler Polymer Research Laboratory, Center for Macromolecular Science & Engineering, Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-7200, USA.
authors.forename: Brent S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Sumerlin
mesh_terms: D053758:Nanoparticles; D010777:Photochemistry; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays
chemical_list: D011108:Polymers
keywords: block copolymers; core-shell structure; photo cross-linking; reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT)