Control of Shape and Size of Polymer Nanoparticles Aggregates in a Single-Step Microcontinuous Flow Process: A Case of Flower and Spherical Shapes

Abstract

Controlled aggregation of polymer nanoparticles for building anisotropic nano- and microstructures via a self-assembling bottom-up process is an important strategy. Therefore, in this work, the formation of structured poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) particles with diameters between lower micrometer and submicrometer range by use of a microcontinuous flow arrangement was investigated in the presence of nonionic water-soluble polymer polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The investigations show that the microreaction strategy is well applicable and allows a tuning of size and shape of nanoparticles in dependence on reactant concentrations and flow rate ratios. Larger and complex structured polymer particles have been found at lower PVP concentration, whereas more compact submicron-sized particles were formed at higher PVP concentrations. The addition of ionic surfactants modulates the generation of characteristic particle shapes. The observation of intermediate states between complex flowerlike particles and simple spheres in dependence on the applied concentration of low molecular weight surfactants supports the explanation of particle formation by a mechanism with superposition of particle growth and assembling. When mixed surfactants (PVP-SDS or PVP-CTAB) are used, the final particles shape depends on the concentration of individual concentrations of surfactants and on the competition between mobility, solvation, and micelle formations.

Effects of miniemulsion operation conditions on the immobilization of BSA onto PMMA nanoparticles

“…The surfactant molecules are located on the surfaces of the particles and define the observed charge. As expected, particles produced with SDS were negative, while the ones prepared with CTAB showed a positive zeta potential [31] . It is important to observe the lower absolute surface charge provided by CTAB, which can possibly be related to its lower stabilizing effect, when compared to SDS.…”

Microfluidic Assisted Synthesis of Multipurpose Polymer Nanoassembly Particles for Fluorescence, LSPR, and SERS Activities

“…Similarly, the concentration of DADMAC at constant flow rate ratio of both liquids contributes the dominating effect to tunes the particles size. It is well known that the particles size decreases as the concentration of interfacial stabilizing agent increases . Therefore, the particles of ≈650 and 500 nm were obtained respectively at 1.5 × 10 −3 and 3 × 10 −3 m DADMAC concentration in the aqueous phase with flow rate ratio of 1200/70.…”

Self‐Organization of Hyperbranched Polyesters Functionalized with Pyrrolo[2,1‐a]isoquinoline End Groups and Their Fluorescent Recognition of Anthracene and Pyrene

“…For example, Gaillard and co‐workers reported flower‐like poly(ethylene oxide)‐based macromolecular architectures obtained by photocrosslinking of self‐assembled block copolymers . Visaveliya and Köhler reported the formation of flower‐like poly(methyl methacrylate) particles with diameters in the lower micrometer to submicrometer range . Dong and co‐workers reported zinc oxide nanoflowers with controllable morphologies .…”

“…[35] Visaveliya and Köhler reported the formation of flower-like poly(methyl methacrylate) particles with diameters in the lower micrometer to submicrometer range. [36] Dong and co-workers reported zinc oxide nanoflowers with controllable morphologies. [37] To the best of our knowledge, there have been no studies on the formation of an organized lamellar flower morphology from HBPEs.…”