Tailoring confinement: Nano-carrier synthesis via Z-RAFT star polymerization

Abstract

A new pathway to nano-sized hollow-sphere particles from six-arm star polymers with an amphiphilic core-corona structure, synthesized in a four-step-procedure by means of reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization is presented, in order to achieve more stable and versatile nano-container systems, which could be applied in the fields of drug delivery or catalyst storage. Star-shaped amphiphilic, diblock copolymers serve as globular platforms for synthesizing uniform hollow structures. By the introduction of monomer units carrying UV-cross-linkable dimethyl maleimido functionalities into the outer sphere of these star polymers, the carrier's shell could be stabilized under UV-irradiation. After removal of the RAFT-core-constituting the central hub of the star polymer-by aminolysis, the carrier is ready for loading.