The pH-Triggered Amphiphilic Polycarbodiimides as Nanovesicles

Abstract

The pH-triggered polymers are a sub-class of stimuli-responsive macromolecules. These smart polymers can experience physical or chemical transition due to small pH responses. pH-dependent materials gain great demand within a short period, by considering their potential applications. pH-triggered macromolecules typically possess weak basic or weak acidic functional groups. The functional groups often used include tertiary amines, pyridines, phosphate, and carboxylic acids. These stimuli-dependent materials are ideal candidates for the biomedical field. Herein, report pH-dependent chiral amphiphilic carbodiimide polymers. Helical polycarbodiimides consist of alternating imine and amine backbone, attached to different pendant groups. Substituting the pendant groups, enable to change of the properties of polycarbodiimides. Thus, we invented polar functional groups such as dimethylamine and piperazine to the side chains to enhance the solubility in an aqueous medium. Moreover, each unit of these polymers consists of hydrophobic methyl functionality and hydrophilic dimethyl and piperazine side groups. Thus, these carbodiimide polymers were self-assembled in aqueous solutions as well as buffer solutions due to the hydrophilic and hydrophobic moieties of the polymer. The micelles can be used as nanocarriers. Furthermore, the pH-dependent swelling properties were observed in these polymeric nanoparticles in different time intervals. Thus, the pH-triggered volume change of the micelles can be used as a controlled release, targeted site drug delivery applications.

Polycarbodiimide for Textile Dye Removal from Contaminated Water

“…Polycarbodiimide (PCD) polymers are synthetic polymers that are composed of highly nitrogen-rich guanidine-like backbones, and each repeat unit contains two tunable pendant groups. , Polymer side chains can be rationally designed during the synthesis or modified in post-polymerization reactions to fine-tune the physicochemical characteristics of the polymers. − A nitrogenous backbone and tunable hydrophobic side chains in PCD polymers could provide sites for interactions with synthetic dyes to enable formation of polymer–dye complexes through hydrogen bonding, ionic interactions, and hydrophobic interactions and facilitate dye removal from contaminated water sources.…”