Bottlebrush-Colloid Janus Nanoparticles

A bottlebrush-colloid Janus nanoparticle (JNP) with a ball-and-stick structure is reported. A single poly(4-vinyl benzyl chloride) (PVBC) polymer chain was grafted onto the amine-capped Fe3O4@NH2 nanoparticle. pH-responsive 2-diethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DEAEMA) and water-soluble oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (OEGMA) were sequentially grown from the PVBC backbone by ATRP, forming a core-shell bottlebrush. The synthesized PVBC208-g-(PDEAEMA(13)-b-POEGMA(8))-Fe3O4@NH2 JNPs are dispersible in water and can be manipulated by a magnet. The Fe3O4 NPs with exposed -NH2 groups facilitate accumulation at acidic sites. Hydrophobic dyes can be loaded within the PDEAEMA at pH >= 7.5, while they are released at pH values below 6.8. The composite JNPs are promising as a guided pH-responsive delivery vector toward acidic solid tumors.