title: Preparation of Surfactant-Resistant Polymersomes with Ultrathick Membranes through RAFT Dispersion Polymerization.
abstract: Surfactant-resistant polymersomes have substantial potential to be used as delivery vehicles in industrial applications. Herein, we report the preparation of poly(ethylene oxide)-block-polystyrene copolymers with ultrahigh hydrophobic-block molecular weights through RAFT dispersion polymerization, which allows the polymerization-induced self-assembly into well-defined polymersomes with ultrathick membranes up to ∼47 nm. These ultrathick membranes significantly enhance the resistance against surfactant solubilization of the vesicles, improving the vesicles' potential for use in industrial encapsulations. Vesicle-encapsulated actives are well retained in the presence of up to 40 wt % of various anionic and nonionic surfactants, with less than 7% active leakage being observed after 30 days.
authors.forename: Ziyuan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Yinzhao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Vikram
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.forename: Siyi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.affiliation: Formulation Science, Corporate Research and Development, The Dow Chemical Company , Collegeville, Pennsylvania 19426, United States.
authors.forename: Joshua S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Jianjun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheng
keywords: RAFT dispersion polymerization; anionic and nonionic surfactants; membrane thickness; polymersome; surfactant resistance