Templated formation of giant polymer vesicles with controlled size distributions

Abstract

Unilamellar polymer vesicles are formed when a block copolymer self-assembles to form a single bilayer structure, with a hydrophobic core and hydrophilic surfaces, and the resulting membrane folds over and rearranges by connecting its edges to enclose a space. The physics of self-assembly tightly specifies the wall thickness of the resulting vesicle, but, both for polymer vesicles and phospholipids, no mechanism strongly selects for the overall size, so the size distribution of vesicles tends to be very polydisperse. We report a method for the production of controlled size distributions of micrometre-sized (that is, giant) vesicles combining the 'top-down' control of micrometre-sized features (vesicle diameter) by photolithography and dewetting with the 'bottom-up' control of nanometre-sized features (membrane thickness) by molecular self-assembly. It enables the spontaneous creation of unilamellar vesicles with a narrow size distribution that could find applications in drug and gene delivery, nano- and micro-reactors, substrates for macromolecular crystallography and model systems for studies of membrane function.

Recent trends in the tuning of polymersomes’ membrane properties

“…Therefore, the vesicle size is often strongly dependent on the fabrication process. For instance, the spontaneous formation of uniform polymer vesicles by the diffusion of water into self-assembled micron-size patches of block copolymer printed on a silicon substrate has been shown by Ryan et al [32]. In this configuration, the final size of the polymersomes was dictated by the area of the patch.…”

Selecting analytical tools for characterization of polymersomes in aqueous solution

“…All abbreviations are given in the Abbreviations/Nomenclature section tadiene polyethylene oxide, PB-PEO, chemical structure in Fig. 2) 6,106-108 prepared with a conventional formation method (film rehydration) 8,109,110 . Fig.…”

Polimerossomos versus lipossomos: a evolução da "Bala Mágica"

“…49 No entanto, no geral são necessárias etapas que forneçam energia ao sistema. 50 O método da hidratação do filme consiste na hidratação sob agitação vigorosa de um filme polimérico fino formado a partir da lenta evaporação de um solvente orgânico no qual o copolímero está dissolvido. 51 Pode-se, ainda, empregar outras técnicas como agitação por ultrassom (sonicação), ciclo de resfriamento e aquecimento ou extrusão, visando reduzir o tamanho das vesículas e diminuir a polidispersão.…”