Work

Temperature-Sensitive Dendritic Micelles

Year: 2005

Type: article

Abstract: Syntheses up to three generations have been achieved of biaryl-based amphiphilic dendrons with a charge-neutral pentaethylene glycol as the hydrophilic part and a decyl chain as the hydrophobic part. Studies on the temperature-dependent characteristics revealed that these dendrons exhibit a generation-dependent lower critical solution temperature (LCST). This behavior is attributed to the combination of the amphipathic nature of the hydrophilic pentaethylene glycol side chain and dendritic effect. Interestingly, this biaryl-based scaffold also maintains the ability to form a micelle-like assembly in polar solvents and an inverted micelle-like assembly in apolar solvents. Polarity of the dendritic interior was investigated using dye-based microenvironment studies. The aggregation behavior of these micelles was analyzed by fluorescence spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. Critical micelle concentrations (CMC) of these assemblies were investigated using fluorescence excitation spectra of the sequestered guest molecule, pyrene.

Source: Journal of the American Chemical Society

DOI: 10.1021/ja054542y

Authors: Sivakumar V. Aathimanikandan, Elamprakash N. Savariar, S. Thayumanavan

Institution: University of Massachusetts Amherst

Language: English

Topic: Dendrimers and Hyperbranched Polymers

Subfield: Polymers and Plastics

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Awards: G1906804665, New Amphiphilic Dendrimers for Encapsulation and Release