Dendrimer-encapsulated nanoparticle-core micelles as a modular strategy for particle-in-a-box-in-a-box nanostructures

Abstract

We present a versatile strategy for constructing particle-in-a-box-in-a-box systems by assembling dendrimer-encapsulated gold nanoparticles into dendrimicelles.

Nanoparticles reveal Extreme Size-Sorting and Morphologies in Complex Coacervate Superstructures

“…2 , except for the number of nanoparticles observed per dendrimicelle (12 ± 5 versus 27 ± 11). This confirms that empty dendrimers co-encapsulate with nanoparticle-containing dendrimers, in line with previous results 22 .…”

“…Fourth- and fifth-generation PAMAM dendrimers can be considered ‘hybrids’ in the sense that both DENs as well as DSNs can form 14 , 20 . By incorporating dendrimers into the micelles, the unique encapsulation property of dendrimers can be used to “load” complex coacervate core micelles, as we recently showed by combining block copolymers together with DENs 21 , 22 , forming well-defined dendrimicelles that carried ~20–30 nanoparticles/dendrimicelle depending on the generation used. These nanoparticle-containing dendrimicelles self-organized into distinct disk-like monolayer superstructures inside ~0.1 µm thick biconcave ice films formed during cryoTEM sample preparation 21 .…”

“…one nanoparticle with two or three dendrimers. Following the strategy that we reported before 22 , we then mixed the AuDENs with an anionic–neutral block copolymer, consisting of a 64-subunit polymethacrylic acid and a 885-subunit polyethyleneoxide block, pMAA 64 pEO 885 . Coacervation of the cationic dendrimer with the anionic-neutral block copolymer resulted in the formation of a complex coacervate core micelle, as indicated by Dynamic Light Scattering, DLS.…”

Cyclodextrin-based complex coacervate core micelles with tuneable supramolecular host–guest, metal-to-ligand and charge interactions

“…16 A further understanding of the formation and stability of C3Ms was achieved by including nanoparticles (NP) inside dendrimers, inside micelles, with a so-called box-in-a-box structure. 17,18 In this paper, we present a new class of coacervate-core micelles (see Scheme 1), called Cyclodextrin-based Complex Coacervate Core Micelles (C4Ms), in which the cyclodextrin is covalently tethered to a dipicolinic acid (CD-DPA) unit that can coordinate to metal ions. C4Ms offer the possibility of easy and fine tuning of the charge of the core-unit and the stability of the micelles via orthogonal supramolecular interactions gaining insight and control over the lower limit of charge-per-core-unit required for coacervation.…”

Assembly, Disassembly and Reassembly of Complex Coacervate Core Micelles with Redox‐Responsive Supramolecular Cross‐Linkers

“…[14,[16][17][18][19] New insights on the aggregation numbers and the minimum amount of charges per core-unit were acquired by encapsulating well-defined charged dendrimers of different generations into coacervate micelles, forming the so-called dendrimicelles. [20][21][22] The dendrimers were defined as coacervate "core-units". Recently, an even more precise control on the minimum number of charges per core-unit, required for coacervation, was achieved by introducing cyclodextrin-adamantane host-guest interactions in the core of C3Ms, forming Cyclodextrin-based Complex Coacervate Core Micelles (C4Ms), in which monomeric europium(III) complexes can form coreunits of the micelles.…”