Thermoresponsive organic-inorganic hybrid large-compound vesicles

Abstract

Herein, gelated thermoresponsive large-compound vesicles (LCVs) are reported for the first time. The LCVs are prepared by self-assembly of poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly[N-isopropylacrylamide-random-3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate] [PEO-b-P(NIPAM-r-TMPM)] in DMF-water mixture. Then, sol-gel reaction of the reactive PTMPM block is performed to stabilize the LCVs. LCVs with higher cross-linking density keep almost the same size under different temperatures while LCVs with lower cross-linking density display obviously thermoresponsive size transition between 22 and 36 °C. The gelated LCVs exhibit enhanced permeability with temperature elevation and their permeabilities at different temperatures all elevate with increasing the cross-linking density. Gelated large-compound vesicles (LCVs) with thermoresponsive size and permeability are obtained through self-assembly and gelation of poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly[N-isopropylacrylamide-random-3- (trimethoxysilyl)propyl methacrylate] [PEO-b-P(NIPAM-r-TMPM)] in DMF-water mixture. When the temperature is elevated, the LCVs shrink and their permeability is enhanced because of the thermo-induced channel formation on their membranes. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.