4.7 Article

Synthesis and self-assembly of photo-responsive polypeptoid-based copolymers containing azobenzene side chains

Journal

POLYMER CHEMISTRY
Volume 12, Issue 12, Pages 1823-1829

Publisher

ROYAL SOC CHEMISTRY
DOI: 10.1039/d0py01723j

Keywords

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Funding

  1. National Natural Science Foundation of China [51690151]
  2. Shanghai Municipal Government [18JC1410800]

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This study reports the preparation of photo-responsive polypeptoids through ring-opening polymerization and their reversible photo-responsive behavior in both organic and aqueous solutions. The polypeptoids with azobenzene side chains can form various polymeric assemblies depending on the chain length of PAzo, showing reversible morphology transformation upon alternating UV-vis light irradiation. These new photo-responsive and biocompatible polypeptoid-based materials have significant potential for biomedical and bioengineering applications.
Stimuli-responsive polypeptoids are promising peptidomimetic polymers that can regulate their physical/chemical properties by means of external stimuli and have drawn tremendous attention for potential biotechnological applications. Here, we report the preparation of photo-responsive polypeptoids via the ring-opening polymerization of the monomer N-azobenzene-ethyl-N-carboxyanhydride (Azo-NNCA). The obtained diblock polypeptoids bearing azobenzene side chains (PEG-b-PAzo) showed reversible photo-responsive behavior in both organic and aqueous solutions, demonstrated by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (H-1 NMR) measurements and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy. Depending on the chain length of PAzo, various polymeric assemblies were readily obtained, including spherical and rod-like micelles, which exhibited a reversible morphology transformation upon alternating UV-vis light irradiation. The detailed process of morphology transformation was systemically investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Moreover, the polypeptoids also presented an irreversible responsiveness to temperature, resulting in different morphology transitions of assemblies. The new photo-responsive and biocompatible polypeptoid-based materials hold appreciable potential for biomedical and bioengineering applications.

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