TY - JOUR
T1 - Influence of the Surfactant Structure on Photoluminescent π-Conjugated Polymer Nanoparticles
T2 - Interfacial Properties and Protein Binding
AU - Urbano, Laura
AU - Clifton, Luke
AU - Ku, Hoi Ki
AU - Kendall-Troughton, Hannah
AU - Vandera, Kalliopi Kelli A.
AU - Matarese, Bruno F.E.
AU - Abelha, Thais
AU - Li, Peixun
AU - Desai, Tejal
AU - Dreiss, Cécile A.
AU - Barker, Robert D.
AU - Green, Mark A.
AU - Dailey, Lea Ann
AU - Harvey, Richard D.
PY - 2018/5/29
Y1 - 2018/5/29
N2 - π-Conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) are under investigation as photoluminescent agents for diagnostics and bioimaging. To determine whether the choice of surfactant can improve CPN properties and prevent protein adsorption, five nonionic polyethylene glycol alkyl ether surfactants were used to produce CPNs from three representative π-conjugated polymers. The surfactant structure did not influence size or yield, which was dependent on the nature of the conjugated polymer. Hydrophobic interaction chromatography, contact angle, quartz crystal microbalance, and neutron reflectivity studies were used to assess the affinity of the surfactant to the conjugated polymer surface and indicated that all surfactants were displaced by the addition of a model serum protein. In summary, CPN preparation methods which rely on surface coating of a conjugated polymer core with amphiphilic surfactants may produce systems with good yields and colloidal stability in vitro, but may be susceptible to significant surface alterations in physiological fluids.
AB - π-Conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) are under investigation as photoluminescent agents for diagnostics and bioimaging. To determine whether the choice of surfactant can improve CPN properties and prevent protein adsorption, five nonionic polyethylene glycol alkyl ether surfactants were used to produce CPNs from three representative π-conjugated polymers. The surfactant structure did not influence size or yield, which was dependent on the nature of the conjugated polymer. Hydrophobic interaction chromatography, contact angle, quartz crystal microbalance, and neutron reflectivity studies were used to assess the affinity of the surfactant to the conjugated polymer surface and indicated that all surfactants were displaced by the addition of a model serum protein. In summary, CPN preparation methods which rely on surface coating of a conjugated polymer core with amphiphilic surfactants may produce systems with good yields and colloidal stability in vitro, but may be susceptible to significant surface alterations in physiological fluids.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85046666604&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b00561
DO - 10.1021/acs.langmuir.8b00561
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85046666604
SN - 0743-7463
VL - 34
SP - 6125
EP - 6137
JO - Langmuir
JF - Langmuir
IS - 21
ER -