Gold nanoshells, a material generally composed of a core of silica surrounded by a thin shell of gold, are of great interest due to their unique and tunable optical properties. By varying the shell thickness and core size, the absorption and scattering properties are greatly enhanced. The nanoshells can be made to absorb or scatter light at various regions across the electromagnetic spectrum, from visible to the near infrared. The ability to tune the optical properties of nanoshells allows for their potential use in many different areas of research such as optical imaging, tumor ablation, drug delivery, and solar energy conversion. The research in this thesis focused on the synthesis and characterization of two novel gold nanoshell materials containing thermally-responsive, organic-inorganic hybrid layers. One type of material was based on a two-layer particle with a thermally responsive hybrid core of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) copolymerized with 3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate (MPS) that was then coated with a thin layer of gold. The second material was a three-layer particle with a silica core, a thermally responsive copolymer of NIPAM and MPS middle layer and an outer shell of gold. Various techniques were used to characterize both materials. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to image the particles and dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to determine particle size and the temperature response. Additionally, UV-Vis spectroscopy was used to characterize the optical properties as a function of temperature.

Time-resolved fluorescence was applied to linear and branched pyrene-labelled macromolecules to study their internal dynamics. The linear macromolecules consisted of two series of pyrene-labelled poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)s where the polymer was either end-labelled (Py2-PNIPAM-Y where Y represents the molecular weight of the polymer and equals 6, 8, 14, 25, and 45 kDa) or randomly labelled (Py-PNIPAM-X% where X represents the pyrene content and is equal to 0.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 mol%) with pyrene. Four dendrimer generations based on a bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid backbone represented the branched macromolecules where the terminal sites were labelled with pyrene (PyX-GY-COOH where X represents the number of pyrene units incorporated into the Y`th generation dendrimer). A polystyrene-dendrimer hybrid was also synthesized (PyX-GY-PS). The fluorescence decays of the Py2-PNIPAM-Y and Py-PNIPAM-X% samples were acquired in solvents of varying viscosity and were analyzed with the Birks Scheme and the Fluorescence Blob Model (FBM) to yield the excimer formation rate constants and , respectively. The two parameters showed the same trends with varying viscosity, implying that the same information concerning chain dynamics is obtained from the randomly and end-labelled PNIPAM samples. The fluorescence decays of the Py2-PNIPAM-Y samples were acquired in ethanol and in water to determine how pyrene solubility affects the behavior of the polymers in solution, as probed by time-resolved fluorescence. It was found that the decreased pyrene solubility in water led to large amounts of intra- and intermolecular pyrene aggregation. Finally, the pyrene-labelled dendrimers were studied in tetrahydrofuran (THF) to probe the mobility of the chain ends as a function of generation number. The average rate of excimer formation, , obtained from the Model-Free analysis of the fluorescence decays in THF, increased linearly with generation number. This finding, combined with molecular mechanics optimizations, led to the conclusion that excimer formation was greatly enhanced due to the branched nature of the dendrimer molecule. Together, these studies illustrate three different applications of the use of time-resolved fluorescence to characterize the internal dynamics of pyrene-labelled macromolecules.

Microgels are a class of colloids that are mechanically soft, and while in many cases can behave similarly to their hard-sphere counterparts, their interaction potentials are quite different. The softness of the interaction between microgels makes them capable of deformation and compression into more concentrated assemblies. This concentrated regime is interesting because little, if any, experimental work has been done to see how the bulk properties of soft-sphere assemblies deviate from those of hard-spheres at the point where their interaction potentials begin to diverge. In this thesis the effects on assembly phase behavior and dynamics of both particle compression and softness of the interaction potential are addressed. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (pNIPAm) microgels are an excellent model system in which to study these effects. The thermoresponsivity of the polymer provides the experimentalist with a dial to tune the volume fraction of an assembly, while maintaining a constant particle number density in the system. Optical microscopy, particle tracking analysis and rheology have been used to investigate the effects of packing and particle structure on equilibrium phase behavior and localized perturbations to the phase of the assembly of this soft-sphere system. It has been elucidated from these experiments and others involving deswelling of large microgel particles in the presence of high concentrations of smaller microgels, that the soft, repulsive interaction between microgels is caused by a longer-range repulsion than was previously believed. The particles are acting on each other from a distance through the osmotic pressure of the assembly, which causes each particle to deswell without coming into direct contact with a neighboring particle.

abstract: Current treatment methods for cerebral aneurysms are providing life-saving measures for patients suffering from these blood vessel wall protrusions; however, the drawbacks present unfortunate circumstances in the invasive procedure or with efficient occlusion of the aneurysms. With the advancement of medical devices, liquid-to-solid gelling materials that could be delivered endovascularly have gained interest. The development of these systems stems from the need to circumvent surgical methods and the requirement for improved occlusion of aneurysms to prevent recanalization and potential complications. The work presented herein reports on a liquid-to-solid gelling material, which undergoes gelation via dual mechanisms. Using a temperature-responsive polymer, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (poly(NIPAAm), the gelling system can transition from a solution at low temperatures to a gel at body temperature (physical gelation). Additionally, by conjugating reactive functional groups onto the polymers, covalent cross-links can be formed via chemical reaction between the two moieties (chemical gelation). The advantage of this gelling system comprises of its water-based properties as well as the ability of the physical and chemical gelation to occur within physiological conditions. By developing the polymer gelling system in a ground-up approach via synthesis, its added benefit is the capability of modifying the properties of the system as needed for particular applications, in this case for embolization of cerebral aneurysms. The studies provided in this doctoral work highlight the synthesis, characterization and testing of these polymer gelling systems for occlusion of aneurysms. Conducted experiments include thermal, mechanical, structural and chemical characterization, as well as analysis of swelling, degradation, kinetics, cytotoxicity, in vitro glass models and in vivo swine study. Data on thermoresponsive poly(NIPAAm) indicated that the phase transition it undertakes comes as a result of the polymer chains associating as temperature is increased. Poly(NIPAAm) was functionalized with thiols and vinyls to provide for added chemical cross-linking. By combining both modes of gelation, physical and chemical, a gel with reduced creep flow and increased strength was developed. Being waterborne, the gels demonstrated excellent biocompatibility and were easily delivered via catheters and injected within aneurysms, without undergoing degradation. The dual gelling polymer systems demonstrated potential in use as embolic agents for cerebral aneurysm embolization. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Bioengineering 2012

Orientador: Watson Loh / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Quimica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-05T11:31:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Teixeira_LucianaAkissuedeCamargo_M.pdf: 592549 bytes, checksum: bcab0d8b03c6105e79e7174dd9b9c308 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004 / Mestrado / Físico-Química / Mestre em Química

Stimuli-responsive polymers and self-assembling peptides represent two classes of materials with interesting properties and great potential to be used as biomaterials. The conjugation of polymer with peptide offers a way to combine the controlled chemical, mechanical, and thermal properties of polymer with the functionality of designed bioactive group. Pure hybrid materials with the characteristics of individual components or systems containing hybrid materials became attractive for applications in drug delivery and tissue engineering. This work focused on systems where the thermo-responsive properties of a polymer were combined with the gelling properties of two different ionic-complementary peptides via conjugation. The prototypical thermo-responsive polymer poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) was chosen due to its lower critical solution temperature (LCST) ~32°C being close to body temperature. Ionic-complementary oligo-peptides, containing the alternating hydrophobic/hydrophilic and charged/uncharged amino acids, phenylalanine (F), glutamic acid (E) and lysine (K), were selected as they are known to form β-sheet rich fibrillar networks at low concentrations. Two peptide sequences with different charge distribution were chosen: FEFEFKFK and FEFKFEFK which form self-supporting gels at ~17 and 10 mg ml-1 respectively. Polymer-peptide conjugates were used to confer self-assembling and thermo-responsive behaviour to the system.Thermo-responsive PNIPAAm-rich hydrogels were obtained by targeting different degrees of functionalisation of PNIPAAm with the self-assembling peptides. Two series of such systems were prepared by using either a thiol-modified FEFEFKFK or a thiol-modified FEFKFEFK peptide as the chain-transfer agent in the free radical polymerisation of NIPAAm. The resulting polymer/conjugate mixtures were studied by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). The polymer/conjugate ratios were calculated and showed that the conjugate fraction in the mixtures increased with increasing concentration of peptide used for the polymerisation. Static light scattering (SLS) and viscometry showed the aggregation of the polymer/conjugate mixtures presumably due to the presence of peptide. The values from gel permeation chromatography (GPC), which were mostly attributed to the unconjugated polymers, were higher than those obtained from 1H NMR and centrifugation for the conjugates. The polymer/conjugate mixtures formed self-supporting gels where the critical gelation concentration decreased with increasing conjugate content. Oscillatory rheology experiments confirmed gels had formed and revealed that their elastic modulus, G' varied from ~ 10 to 400 Pa depending on the sample. TEM and AFM studies proved the formation of β-sheet fibres of ~ 4.5 ± 1.5 nm in diameter. The PNIPAAm-rich hydrogels were also characterised by micro DSC to reveal their thermo-responsiveness and phase separation and showed the LCST at ~ 30°C. The results of the study showed that varying the peptide sequence did not have an effect on thermal, mechanical or morphological properties of the hydrogels. By exploiting the self-assembly of the ionic-complementary peptides, it was possible to create PNIPAAm-rich, thermo-responsive hydrogels with controllable properties.Further in the study pure PNIPAAm-FEFEFKFK conjugate was incorporated into the FEFEFKFK peptide matrix to create peptide-rich thermo-responsive composite gels. Two series of the composite gels were prepared by varying separately the peptide matrix and polymer-peptide conjugate concentration. Micro DSC measurements revealed an endothermic peak at ~ 30ºC characteristic of the LCST of PNIPAAm. Oscillatory rheology studies showed that the composite gels became stronger with increasing conjugate concentration (G' ~ 20 - 200 Pa). Network morphology was studied by SANS. Using contrast variation and contrast matching techniques it was possible to distinguish between the peptide fibres and the PNIPAAm chains. Below and above the LCST the scattering curves showed a q-1 behaviour which is typical of rod-like objects. TEM and AFM also proved the formation of fibres of ~4.0 ± 0.8 nm and ~4.5 ± 1 nm respectively. AFM studies showed that the fibres of the composite gels were decorated with polymer chains. The thermo-responsiveness and the gelation properties of these conjugate-based scaffolds have potential for use as drug delivery vehicles or tissue engineering scaffolds.

Conventionally, adherent cells are cultured in vitro using flat 2D cell culture trays. However the 2D cell culture method is tedious, unreliable and does not replicate the complexity of the 3D dynamic environment of native tissue. Nowadays 3D scaffolds can be used to culture cells. However a number of challenges still exist, including the need for destructive enzymes to release confluent cells. Poly(Nisopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm), a temperature responsive polymer, has revolutionised the cell culture fraternity by providing a non-invasive means of harvesting adherent cells, whereby confluent cells can be spontaneously released by simply cooling the cell culture medium and without requiring enzymes. While PNIPAAm monolayer cell culturing is a promising tool for engineering cell sheets, the current technology is largely limited to the use of flat 2D substrates, which lacks structural and organisational cues for cells. The aim of this project was to develop a 3D PNIPAAm scaffold which could be used efficiently for non-invasive 3D culture of adherent cells. This project was divided into three phases: Phase 1 (preliminary phase) involved development and characterisation of cross-linked PNIPAAm hydrogels; Phase 2 involved development and characterisation of PNIPAAm grafted 3D non-woven scaffolds, while Phase 3 focused on showing proof of concept for non-invasive temperature-induced cell culture from the 3D PNIPAAm grafted scaffolds. In Phase 1, PNIPAAm was cross-linked with N,N’-methylene-bis-acrylamide (MBA) using solution free-radical polymerisation to form P(PNIPAAm-co-MBA) hydrogels. A broad cross-link density (i.e. 1.1 - 9.1 Mol% MBA) was investigated, and the effect of using mixed solvents as the co-polymerisation medium. The P(PNIPAAm-co-MBA) gels proved unsuitable as a robust cell culture matrix, due to poor porosity, slow swelling/deswelling and poor mechanical properties. Subsequently, in Phase 2, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and nylon fibers were processed into highly porous non-woven fabric (NWF) scaffolds using a needle-punching technology. The NWF scaffolds were grafted with PNIPAAm using oxyfluorination-assisted graft polymerisation (OAGP). The OAGP method involved a 2 step process whereby the NWF was first fluorinated (direct fluorination or oxyfluorination) to introduce new functional groups on the fibre surface. The functionalised NWF scaffolds were then graft-polymerised with NIPAAm in an aqueous medium using ammonium persulphate as the initiator. Following oxyfluorination, new functional groups were detected on the surface of the NWF scaffolds, which included C-OH; C=O; CH2-CHF, and CHF-CHF. PP and nylon were both easily modified by oxyfluorination, while PET displayed very little changes to its surface groups. Improved wetting and swelling in water was observed for the oxyfluorinated polymers compared to pure NWF scaffolds. PP NWF showed the highest graft yield followed by nylon and then PET. PNIPAAm graft yield on the PP NWF was ~24 ±6 μg/cm2 on grafted pre-oxyfluorinated NWF when APS was used; which was found to be significantly higher compared to when pre-oxyfluorinated NWF was used without initiator (9 ±6 μg/cm2, p= 1.7x10-7); or when grafting was on pure PP with APS (2 ±0.3 μg/cm2, p = 8.4x10-12). This corresponded to an average PNIPAAm layer thickness of ~220 ±54 nm; 92 ± 60 nm; and 19 ± 3 nm respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a rough surface morphology and confinement of the PNIPAAm graft layer to the surface of the fibers when oxyfluorinated NWF scaffolds were used, however when pure NWF scaffolds were used during grafting, homopolymerisation was observed as a loosely bound layer on the NWF surface. The OAGP method did not affect the crystalline phase of bulk PP as was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), however, twin-melting thermal peaks were detected from DSC for the oxyfluorinated PP and PP-g-PNIPAAm NWF which possibly indicated crystal defects. Contact angle studies and microcalorimetric DSC showed that the PP-g-PNIPAAm NWF scaffolds exhibited thermoresponsive behaviour. Using the 2,2-Diphenyl-1-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical method and electron-spin resonance (ESR), peroxides, as well as trapped long-lived peroxy radicals were identified on the surface of the oxyfluorinated PP NWF, which are believed to be instrumental in initiating graft polymerisation from the NWF. A free radical mechanism which is diffusion controlled was proposed for the OAGP method with initiation via peroxy radicals (RO•), as well as SO4•- and OH• radicals, whereby the latter result from decomposition of APS. In Phase 3 of this study, proof-of-concept is demonstrated for use of the PNIPAAm grafted NWF scaffolds in non-invasive culture of hepatocytes. Studies demonstrated that hepatocyte cells attached onto the 3D PNIPAAm scaffolds and remained viable in culture over long periods. The cells were released spontaneously and non-destructively as 3D multi-cellular constructs by simply cooling the cell culture medium from 37°C to 20°C, without requiring destructive enzymes. The PP-g- PNIPAAm NWF scaffolds performed the best in 3D cell culture. Additionally the CSIR is developing a thermo responsive 3D (T3D) cell culturing device, whereby the 3D thermo responsive NWF scaffolds are used in the bioreactor for cell culture. Temperature-induced cell release was also verified from the 3D Thermo responsive scaffolds in the bioreactor. This technology could lead to significant advances in improving the reliability of the in vitro cell culture model. Please cite as follows: Chetty, AS 2012, Thermoresponsive 3D scaffolds for non-invasive cell culture, PhD thesis, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-06112013-151344/ > D13/4/713/ag / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Chemical Engineering / unrestricted

PNIPAM (poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide)) is a well-known thermoresponsive polymer. Dissolved in water, it shows a structural change at 32 oC, above which the polymer folds together, and a phase separation occurs. The temperature where the polymer changes structure is known as the LCST (Lower Critical Solution Temperature), and can be modified by adding certain salts to the solution [1]. The mechanism by which the ionic components of the salts affect the LCST is not yet completely understood. The purpose of this master thesis is to study this mechanism. In order to investigate the mechanism, a combination of diffusion NMR and electrophoretic NMR was used, giving the effective charge per molecule which is directly proportional to the grade of association of ions to the polymer. The salts tested were: NaCl, NaClO4, NaSO4, NaI, NaSCN and CaCl2 from which the ClO4-, SCN-, and I- ions, as well as Cl- ions from CaCl2, were found to bind to PNIPAM.

<p>N-chloramide containing and primary amine-containing microgels were prepared by post-modification of thermosensitive microgels in alkaline bleach. The objective of this project was to develop simple strategies for preparation of functionalized microgels.</p> <p>N-chlorination of linear poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) in bleach at high pH resulted in a novel N-chloramide containing copolymer: poly(NIPAM-co-NIPAMCl). The chlorinated PNIPAM showed controlled phase transition temperature and oxidative ability. The N-chlorination of linear PNIPAM inspired the preparation of N-chloramide containing PNIPAM microgels in a similar way. The phase transition temperature of the resulted chlorinated microgels, which corresponds to the extent of N-chlorination, was affected by the reaction temperature and salt concentration. The reaction between the chlorinated microgels and glutathione is proposed as diffusion controlled.</p> <p>The N-chlorination of poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) (PNIPMAM) microgels in bleach was restricted, in comparison with PNIPAM microgels. The active chlorine content of chlorinated PNIPMAM microgels was about one-tenth of that of chlorinated PNIPAM microgels under the same N-chlorination condition. It is proposed that the high stability of PNIPMAM in bleach is a result of the electron-donating effect of methyl groups on PNIPMAM backbone. Hence, core-shell microgels with PNIPAM cores and poly(NIPAM-co-NIPMAM) shells showed improved colloidal stability after N-chlorination because the shell was less chlorinated and served as a steric stabilizer.</p> <p>Finally, primary amine-containing microgels were prepared via Hofmann rearrangement of copolymers of methacrylamide, which decomposed to give amines, and NIPMAM, which did not react. The method was further extended to give amphoteric microgels by including acrylic acid in the starting microgels. Although other approaches to aminated and amphoteric microgels have been developed, this approach is particularly attractive because of the ease of the reaction and the ability to control the microgel isoelectric points.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Poly(N-isopropyl-acrylamide) (PNIPAM) is a thermoresponsive polymer with a wide range of biological applications, including drug delivery, biosensing, and tissue engineering. The tunability of the structural and mechanical properties of PNIPAM makes it particularly at- tractive in emulating cell environments and dynamic cytoskeletal deformations. This thesis discusses PNIPAM's properties and applications in different forms i.e., solution, brushes, hydrogels, and surface patterned hydrogels, with specific focus on lithographically patterned substrates coated with PNIPAM films. The scaffolds are investigated for structural and me- chanical responses to thermally driven changes in the PNIPAM hydration states using atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM measurements on our lithographically patterned substrates show that the substrate pattern and coating method enable the fabrication of scaffolds with different topographic and mechanical properties across a wide thermal range. Importantly, these scaffolds exhibit variations in both lateral topography and Young's modulus, rendering them well suited for investigations of differential mechanical stresses experienced by cells and cell membranes. / Master of Science / Poly(N-isopropyl-acrylamide) (PNIPAM) is a polymer which can change its water absorption depending on the temperature of its aqueous environment. It transitions from a swollen state at room temperature to a collapsed state at around 32 °C. These thermally tunable properties make PNIPAM an attractive candidate in a variery of applications, including biomedical and biophysical applications. In this thesis, PNIPAM is coated on lithographically patterned substrates to emulate the cellular cytoskeleton. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements are performed to measure the topography and mechanical properties of the fabricated scaffolds. The results show that the coating method and the features of the used substrate allow the fabrication of different surface topographies with biologically relevant mechanics.