OCNC made from polymer grafted nanoparticles are an advanced class of nanocomposites (NC). It circumvent the problem of segregation, commonly encountered in conventional NC. Grafting polymer chains on nanoparticles is an efficient method for synthesizing NC free from phase separation. The dynamics of grafted polymer chain is significantly influenced by the molecular weight (MW), temperature...
Thermogels are an exciting class of stimuli-responsive materials with many promising applications ranging from the medical field to additive manufacturing. The mechanical properties in the gel state strongly depend on the architecture of the polymer [1].
Here we address an ABC triblock terpolymer and a BABC tetrablock terpolymer consisting of the hydrophilic oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl...
Waterborne latex films, obtained from the dispersion of latex particles are of particular interest due to the non-content of volatile organic compounds (VOC), often mandatory under environmental legislation [1]. However, abrupt water penetration inside the films restricting their lifespan and deteriorating the shining of the coating. In order to prepare efficient and solvent-free coatings with...
Stimuli responsive polymers gained lot of attention in the past due to their unique properties. If polymer thin films exhibit a reversible volume change upon exposure to external stimuli such as temperature, light, pH, or solvents, they become promising candidates for applications such as nanoswitches or sensors. Poly(N-isopropyl methacrylamide) (PNIPMAM) is a lower critical solution...
Gram(-) bacteria are pathogenic microorganisms whose outer membrane of the external envelope is composed of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), consisting of three structural domains: lipid A, the core oligosaccharide, and the O antigen. They are endotoxins responsible for many infections induced by bacterial pathogens, so represent a suitable target for selective detection. This can be achieved...
Non-lamellar lipid aqueous phases, such as reverse cubic or hexagonal phases, have increasingly been used to entrap biomolecules. We here discuss encapsulation of two key types of enzymes of different sizes, namely Aspartic protease (34 KDa), Beta-galactosidase (460 KDa) as well as heme proteins of importance for e.g. food iron supply. Although the curvature of the lipid aqueous interfaces in...
A thorough understanding of protein interactions in aqueous solutions is crucial for many areas of research in soft matter and biology. For example, a strong interprotein attraction can lead to protein aggregation, which is observed in several pathologies such as cataract and neurodegenerative diseases.
We have shown that a patchy particle model can describe the phase behavior of a system of...
Smart copolymer microgels based on acrylamides are promising for several applications [1,2] Therefore these systems are intensely studied in recent years. If microgels are made with (photo-)crosslinkable comonomers (secondary crosslinkers), they can be deposited in thin layers and subsequently be cross-linked by irradiation [3,4]. Upon cross-linking freestanding membranes are obtained, which...
Macromolecules in biological systems in vivo are in the cell's crowded environment, which can modify biological function through changes in the structural conformation with respect to diluted conditions. The structural characterization in crowded media is challenging given the high concentration and the intrinsic complexity in these samples. To address the topological effects, we use model...
