CO Capture and Low-Temperature Release by Poly(aminoethyl methacrylate) and Derivatives.

Poly(aminoethyl methacrylate) (PAEMA), poly(ethylene oxide)--(aminoethyl methacrylate) (PEO-PAEMA), and their guanidinylated derivates, poly(guanidine ethyl methacrylate) (PGEMA) and poly(ethylene oxide)--(guanidine ethyl methacrylate) (PEO-PGEMA), were prepared to study their capabilities for CO adsorption and release. The polymers of different forms or degree of guanidinylation were thoroughly characterized, and their interaction with CO was studied by NMR and calorimetry. The extent and kinetics of adsorption and desorption of N and CO were investigated by thermogravimetry under controlled gas atmospheres.

Stimuli-Responsive Nanodiamond-Polyelectrolyte Composite Films.

Nanodiamonds (NDs) can considerably improve the mechanical and thermal properties of polymeric composites. However, the tendency of NDs to aggregate limits the potential of these non-toxic, mechanically- and chemically-robust nanofillers. In this work, tough, flexible, and stimuli-responsive polyelectrolyte films composed of cross-linked poly(butyl acrylate--dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (P(BA--DMAEMA)) were prepared by photopolymerization.

UV-Triggered On-Demand Temperature-Responsive Reversible and Irreversible Gelation of Cellulose Nanocrystals.

We show ionically cross-linked, temperature-responsive reversible or irreversible hydrogels of anionic cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and methacrylate terpolymers by mixing them homogeneously in the initially charge-neutral state of the polymer, which was subsequently switched to be cationic by cleaving side groups by UV irradiation. The polymer is a random terpolymer poly(di(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate)--poly(oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate)--poly(2-((2-nitrobenzyl)oxycarbonyl)aminoethyl methacrylate), that is, PDEGMA--POEGMA--PNBOCAEMA. The PDEGMA and POEGMA repeating units lead to a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior.

Artificial chaperones based on thermoresponsive polymers recognize the unfolded state of the protein.

Stabilization of the enzymes under stress conditions is of special interest for modern biochemistry, bioengineering, as well as for formulation and target delivery of protein-based drugs. Aiming to achieve an efficient stabilization at elevated temperature with no influence on the enzyme under normal conditions, we studied chaperone-like activity of thermoresponsive polymers based on poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) toward two different proteins, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and chicken egg lysozyme. The polymers has been shown to do not interact with the folded protein at room temperature but form a complex upon heating to either protein unfolding or polymer phase transition temperature.

Cationic polymers for DNA origami coating - examining their binding efficiency and tuning the enzymatic reaction rates.

DNA origamis are fully tailored, programmable, biocompatible and readily functionalizable nanostructures that provide an excellent foundation for the development of sophisticated drug-delivery systems. However, the DNA origami objects suffer from certain drawbacks such as low cell-transfection rates and low stability. A great deal of studies on polymer-based transfection agents, mainly focusing on polyplex formation and toxicity, exists.