Single-Molecule Dendrimer-Hydrocarbon Interaction

Abstract

Abstract:We report our single-molecule fluorescence microscopy and molecular dynamics simulation studies on the interaction of poly(amidoamine) dendrimer and squalane hydrocarbon in aqueous solution. Our spectrophotometry measurements indicate that this interaction increases with the pH of the solvent. Our simulations show that squalane resides primarily on the perimeter of the dendrimer at low to neutral pH, but becomes encapsulated by the dendrimer at high pH. Using single-molecule fluorescence microscopy, we have identified that the binding between PAMAM and squalane is reversible. At a pH value of 8, the approaching, binding, and characteristic times of a single fluorescently-labeled dendrimer to squalane are 0.5 s, 7.5 s, and 0.5 s, respectively. Both our spectrophotometry measurements and simulations show that the interaction between PAMAM and squalane is stronger for lower generation dendrimers. This study facilitates our understanding of using dendritic and hyperbranched polymers for gas hydrate prevention in the petroleum industry.

Understanding dendritic polymer–hydrocarbon interactions for oil dispersion

“…[23][24][25][26] The water solubility, globular structure, and ample hydrophobic interior voids give dendritic polymers significant advantages over other recently investigated oil remediation solutions including cellulosic fibres which are roughly linear and lose efficiency when exposed to water. 27 The oil-dispersing capabilities are related to another promising application of dendritic polymers: their effective prevention of gas hydrate formation in oil pipelines, 28 a problem that plagues the petroleum industry. 29,30 Here we present a proof-of-concept study comparing the hosting capabilities of dendritic polymers -generation four (G4) PAMAM dendrimers and HY, towards both linear hexadecane (C 16 ) and polyaromatic phenanthrene (PN) hydrocarbons (see Fig.…”

Exploiting the physicochemical properties of dendritic polymers for environmental and biological applications

“…In consideration of the significantly lower cost of HY-PEI than PAMAM dendrimers, the former may be a better choice for oil dispersion. Such oil-dispersing capabilities of dendritic polymers can also be related to another promising application: their effective prevention of gas hydrate formation in oil pipelines, 56 a problem that plagues the petroleum industry.…”