Rationally Engineering Dual Missions in One Statistical Copolymer Nanocapsule: Bacterial Inhibition and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Capturing.

Effective inhibition of bacteria and removal of carcinogenic organic pollutants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are important technical challenges in water purification because most of the traditional filter membranes are prone to being biologically contaminated by bacteria and difficult to filter off PAHs. Herein we present the synthesis and characterization of a novel multifunctional nanocapsule (vesicle) based on a statistical copolymer, poly[[2-hydroxy-3-(naphthalen-1-ylamino)propyl methacrylate]-stat-[2-(tert-butylamino)ethyl methacrylate]] [P(HNA23-stat-TA20)], which can be easily synthesized in one step. The TA moiety is engineered for effective bacterial inhibition, while the HNA moiety is in charge of the capturing of PAHs by π-π stacking. The nanocapsules can effectively inhibit bacteria and quickly reduce the pyrene content in water to an extremely low residual concentration of 5.6 (in 1 min) or 0.56 (in 60 min) parts per billion (ppb). Moreover, this rational engineering principle could be extended by statistically copolymerizing HNA with other functional monomers for designing a range of multifunctional nanomaterials.

A multifunctional azobenzene-based polymeric adsorbent for effective water remediation.

The efficient removal of trace carcinogenic organic pollutants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and ionic dyes, from water is an important technical challenge. We report a highly effective recyclable multifunctional azobenzene (AZ)-based silica-supported polymeric adsorbent which can simultaneously remove both PAHs and anionic dyes from water to below parts per billion (ppb) level based on multiple interactions such as the hydrophobic effect, π-π stacking and electrostatic interactions, thus providing a new strategy for designer water remediation materials.

Antibacterial high-genus polymer vesicle as an "armed" drug carrier.

Presented in this paper is an "armed" high-genus block copolymer vesicle (g = 18) which has excellent blood compatibility and more internal barriers than simple polymer vesicles (g = 0) for controlled anti-cancer drug delivery. The high-genus vesicle also shows better antibacterial activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria without quaternary ammonium moieties or the loading of any external antibiotics compared to the non-self-assembled individual polymer chains, or a conventional simple vesicle. This high-genus polymer vesicle was prepared by the self-assembly of PMEO2MA20-b-PTA20 diblock copolymers in DMF-water, where PMEO2MA is thermo-responsive poly[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethyl methacrylate] and PTA is pH-responsive and antibacterial poly[2-(tert-butylaminoethyl) methacrylate]. Doxorubicin (DOX) loading/release experiments revealed a retarded release rate of DOX in high-genus block copolymer vesicles than conventional simple vesicles, which could be used as an efficient drug delivery carrier with more internal barriers for drug molecules than conventional simple vesicles. Moreover, this "armed" drug delivery vehicle makes antibacterial and anti-cancer therapeutic processes proceed spontaneously, representing a safer and more efficient drug delivery system in nanomedicine.