Optimizing the Ion Conductivity and Mechanical Stability of Polymer Electrolyte Membranes Designed for Use in Lithium Ion Batteries: Combining Imidazolium-Containing Poly(ionic liquids) and Poly(propylene carbonate).

State-of-the-art Li batteries suffer from serious safety hazards caused by the reactivity of lithium and the flammable nature of liquid electrolytes. This work develops highly efficient solid-state electrolytes consisting of imidazolium-containing polyionic liquids (PILs) and lithium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI). By employing PIL/LiTFSI electrolyte membranes blended with poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC), we addressed the problem of combining ionic conductivity and mechanical properties in one material.

High-Resolution Tracking of Multiple Distributions in Metallic Nanostructures: Advanced Analysis Was Carried Out with Novel 3D Correlation Thermal Field-Flow Fractionation.

Multifunctional metallic nanostructures are essential in the architecture of modern technology. However, their characterization remains challenging due to their hybrid nature. In this study, we present a novel photoreduction-based protocol for augmenting the inherent properties of imidazolium-containing ionic polymers (IIP)s through orthogonal functionalization with gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) to produce IIP_Au NPs, as well as novel and advanced characterization via three-dimensional correlation thermal field-flow fractionation (3DCoThFFF).

Dealing with the complexity of conjugated and self-assembled polymer-nanostructures using field-flow fractionation.

Broad diversity and heterogeneity are inherently showcased by both natural and synthetic macromolecular structures. The high application potential for such structures and their combinations calls for novel analytical approaches that allow for comprehensive characterization and a full understanding of their complex composition. This review gives an overview of recent advances in designing and fabricating bioconjugated and self-assembled polymer structures, and introduces adequate characterization protocols for sufficient elucidation of their specific molecular properties.

Engineering exosome polymer hybrids by atom transfer radical polymerization.

Exosomes are emerging as ideal drug delivery vehicles due to their biological origin and ability to transfer cargo between cells. However, rapid clearance of exogenous exosomes from the circulation as well as aggregation of exosomes and shedding of surface proteins during storage limit their clinical translation. Here, we demonstrate highly controlled and reversible functionalization of exosome surfaces with well-defined polymers that modulate the exosome's physiochemical and pharmacokinetic properties.

Thermal Field-Flow Fractionation with Quintuple Detection for the Comprehensive Analysis of Complex Polymers.

With a constantly increasing complexity of macromolecular structures, advanced polymer analysis faces new challenges with regard to the comprehensive analysis of these structures. Today it goes without saying that comprehensive polymer analysis requires selective and robust fractionation methods in combination with a set of information-rich detectors. Thermal field-flow fractionation (ThFFF) has proven to be a powerful technique for the fractionation of complex polymers as well as polymer assemblies.

Stereocomplexation of Polymers in Micelle Nanoreactors As Studied by Multiple Detection Thermal Field-Flow Fractionation.

In this study the thermally induced in situ stereocomplexation (SC) of binary blends of symmetrical isotactic and syndiotactic polymethymethacrylates (i- and s-PMMAs) inside micellar nanoreactors (MNR) with polystyrene (PS) shells is investigated using thermal field-flow fractionation (ThFFF) as a separation technique. The MNRs are prepared from three systematic binary blending ratios of pure micelles of i-PMMA-PS and s-PMMA-PS in a nonsolvent for PMMAs in order to produce mixed micelles with a binary microstructural composition of the interior PMMA cores. The SC of these stereoregular PMMA cores inside the MNRs is shown to be thermally induced as a function of annealing temperatures from room temperature up to 150 °C.

Characterization of Complex Polymer Self-Assemblies and Large Aggregates by Multidetector Thermal Field-Flow Fractionation.

Micelles prepared from amphiphilic block copolymers (ABCs) have found numerous applications in pharmaceutical, electronics, environmental, cosmetics, and hygiene industries. These micelles, whether in the pure or mixed micelle form, often exist as multiple morphologies (spherical, cylindrical, worm, or vesicular) in equilibrium with each other. However, none of the current column-based fractionation techniques or any microscopic technique are capable of a successful separation, identification, and quantitation of these complex self-assemblies with regards to morphology, size, molar mass, and chemical composition in one experiment.