Towards sustainable polymeric nano-carriers and surfactants: facile low temperature enzymatic synthesis of bio-based amphiphilic copolymers in scCO2

We demonstrate that useful bio-based amphiphilic polymers can be produced enzymatically at a mild temperature, in a solvent-free system and using renewably sourced monomers, by exploiting the unique properties of supercritical CO2 (scCO2). We present the use of a novel near-ambient temperature appro...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Curia, Silvio, Howdle, Steven M.
Format: Article
Published: Royal Society of Chemistry 2016
Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/31958/
_version_ 1848794305275101184
author Curia, Silvio
Howdle, Steven M.
author_facet Curia, Silvio
Howdle, Steven M.
author_sort Curia, Silvio
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description We demonstrate that useful bio-based amphiphilic polymers can be produced enzymatically at a mild temperature, in a solvent-free system and using renewably sourced monomers, by exploiting the unique properties of supercritical CO2 (scCO2). We present the use of a novel near-ambient temperature approach to prepare renewable amphiphilic ABA copolymers in scCO2. Bio-based commercially available monomers have been polymerised to prepare chains with targeted molecular weight. The amphiphilic materials were prepared by end-capping the synthesised polymers with methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG) chains in a one-pot high pressure reaction utilising Candida Antarctica Lipase B (CaLB) as a catalyst at a temperature as low as 35 °C. The block copolymers are characterised by 1H-NMR, GPC and DSC in order to carefully assess their structural and thermal properties. These polymers form self-assembled aggregates in aqueous environment and these nanostructures are studied through DLS, TEM and UV-Vis. Highly hydrophobic Coumarin-6 was used as a model to prove dispersion in water of lipophilic molecules. Maximum bubble pressure tests demonstrate the reduction in surface tension of these polymers and comparisons are made directly to commercial polymeric non-ionic surfactants.
first_indexed 2025-11-14T19:14:05Z
format Article
id nottingham-31958
institution University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus
institution_category Local University
last_indexed 2025-11-14T19:14:05Z
publishDate 2016
publisher Royal Society of Chemistry
recordtype eprints
repository_type Digital Repository
spelling nottingham-319582020-05-04T17:35:56Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/31958/ Towards sustainable polymeric nano-carriers and surfactants: facile low temperature enzymatic synthesis of bio-based amphiphilic copolymers in scCO2 Curia, Silvio Howdle, Steven M. We demonstrate that useful bio-based amphiphilic polymers can be produced enzymatically at a mild temperature, in a solvent-free system and using renewably sourced monomers, by exploiting the unique properties of supercritical CO2 (scCO2). We present the use of a novel near-ambient temperature approach to prepare renewable amphiphilic ABA copolymers in scCO2. Bio-based commercially available monomers have been polymerised to prepare chains with targeted molecular weight. The amphiphilic materials were prepared by end-capping the synthesised polymers with methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG) chains in a one-pot high pressure reaction utilising Candida Antarctica Lipase B (CaLB) as a catalyst at a temperature as low as 35 °C. The block copolymers are characterised by 1H-NMR, GPC and DSC in order to carefully assess their structural and thermal properties. These polymers form self-assembled aggregates in aqueous environment and these nanostructures are studied through DLS, TEM and UV-Vis. Highly hydrophobic Coumarin-6 was used as a model to prove dispersion in water of lipophilic molecules. Maximum bubble pressure tests demonstrate the reduction in surface tension of these polymers and comparisons are made directly to commercial polymeric non-ionic surfactants. Royal Society of Chemistry 2016-02-22 Article PeerReviewed Curia, Silvio and Howdle, Steven M. (2016) Towards sustainable polymeric nano-carriers and surfactants: facile low temperature enzymatic synthesis of bio-based amphiphilic copolymers in scCO2. Polymer Chemistry . ISSN 1759-9962 http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2016/PY/C6PY00066E#!divAbstract doi:10.1039/C6PY00066E doi:10.1039/C6PY00066E
spellingShingle Curia, Silvio
Howdle, Steven M.
Towards sustainable polymeric nano-carriers and surfactants: facile low temperature enzymatic synthesis of bio-based amphiphilic copolymers in scCO2
title Towards sustainable polymeric nano-carriers and surfactants: facile low temperature enzymatic synthesis of bio-based amphiphilic copolymers in scCO2
title_full Towards sustainable polymeric nano-carriers and surfactants: facile low temperature enzymatic synthesis of bio-based amphiphilic copolymers in scCO2
title_fullStr Towards sustainable polymeric nano-carriers and surfactants: facile low temperature enzymatic synthesis of bio-based amphiphilic copolymers in scCO2
title_full_unstemmed Towards sustainable polymeric nano-carriers and surfactants: facile low temperature enzymatic synthesis of bio-based amphiphilic copolymers in scCO2
title_short Towards sustainable polymeric nano-carriers and surfactants: facile low temperature enzymatic synthesis of bio-based amphiphilic copolymers in scCO2
title_sort towards sustainable polymeric nano-carriers and surfactants: facile low temperature enzymatic synthesis of bio-based amphiphilic copolymers in scco2
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/31958/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/31958/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/31958/