Exothermic Behavior of Cyanine Dye-Containing Polymer Micelle Irradiated by Near Infrared (NIR) in Water

Abstract

Amphiphilic diblock copolymer (PMPC-PBMA) composed of biocompatible water-soluble poly(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) (PMPC) and hydrophobic poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) was synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) radical polymerization. Degrees of polymerization for PMPC and PBMA were 95 and 181, respectively. PMPC-PBMA can dissolve in water to form coreshell ellipsoidal polymer micelles. The core of the micelle can incorporate hydrophobic cyanine dye (Cyd) which can absorb light at near infrared (NIR) wavelength. The average hydrodynamic radius (R h) for Cyd-loaded polymer micelles was about 103 nm in water. Exothermic behavior of the aqueous solution can be observed when NIR light irradiates Cyd-loaded polymer micelles in water. It is expected that the Cyd-loaded polymer micelles can be applied to photo thermal therapy (PTT).