16.2.2 CD-Based Polymer Self-Assemblies and Vesicles
Due to the excellent chemical stability and remarkable biocompatibility, nanodiamonds (NDs) have received widespread research attention by the biomedical
field. The excellent water dispersibility of NDs has significant importance for
biomedical applications. Therefore, surface modification of NDs with hydrophilic
polymers has been extensively investigated over the past few decades. Zhang et al.
(2018) [13] synthesized β-CD containing hyperbranched polymer functionalized
ND (ND-β-CD-HPG) composites with high water dispersibility via supramolecular
chemistry based on the host–guest interaction between β-CD and adamantine (Ad).
The hydroxyl groups of NDs first reacted with 1, 1-adamantanecarbonyl chloride
to obtain ND-Ad, which was further functionalized with β-CD containing hyperbranched polymers to form the final ND-β-CD-HPG composites. The successful
preparation of ND-β-CD-HPG composites was confirmed by several characterization techniques. Furthermore, the loading and release of the anticancer agent doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) on ND-β-CD-HPG composites was also examined
to explore its potential in drug delivery. When compared with traditional methods
of surface modification of NDs, this method was convenient, fast, and efficient. We
demonstrated that ND-β-CD-HPG composites have great water dispersibility, low
toxicity, high drug-loading capacity, and controlled drug-release behavior. Based on
these characteristics, ND-β-CD-HPG composites are expected to have high potential
for biomedical applications.
Jiang et al. (2018) [14] prepared an oligo(ethylene glycol)-based amphiphilic
star polymer containing fluorescent coumarin as end groups and dual tertiary amine
as center. This polymer could self-assemble into vesicles in the aqueous solution.
The crosslinking pattern in the hydrophobic membrane of the vesicles could
form noncovalent crosslinking by adding γ-CD into the solution, and the formed
2/1 host–guest inclusion between γ-CD and coumarin groups led to a higher
sensitivity and faster disassembly speed of the vesicles by injecting CO 2 ; while
after 365 nm light irradiation, the formed coumarin dimers acting as crosslinking
point gave a more stable hydrophobic membrane and less sensitive to CO 2 . The
work reported here gives a notable polymer system that the CO 2 -responsive behaviors can be easily tuned by controlling the crosslinking pattern, bearing a great
promise in the areas including latexes, surfaces, sensors, carriers, and so on.
Zhang et al. (2014) [15] reported a fabrication of photoresponsive block-controllable supramolecular polymer which was constructed through host–guest interactions. This supramolecular polymer based on the assembly of two homopolymers
according to the host–guest recognition between CDs and Ad/Azo moieties in
aqueous solution is a kind of triblock polymer. Upon alternating irradiation of UV/
visible light, this triblock polymer can reversibly transform into supramolecular
diblock polymers with the change in morphology between the self-assembly
and disassembly. In addition, this supramolecular polymer showed potential applications in stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems.
Yuan et al. (2017) [16] prepared a kind of functional (PCL-CD)16/
Azo-PDMAEMA supramolecular aggregates with tunable morphologies based
458
F. Gu and X. Ma
Due to the excellent chemical stability and remarkable biocompatibility, nanodiamonds (NDs) have received widespread research attention by the biomedical
field. The excellent water dispersibility of NDs has significant importance for
biomedical applications. Therefore, surface modification of NDs with hydrophilic
polymers has been extensively investigated over the past few decades. Zhang et al.
(2018) [13] synthesized β-CD containing hyperbranched polymer functionalized
ND (ND-β-CD-HPG) composites with high water dispersibility via supramolecular
chemistry based on the host–guest interaction between β-CD and adamantine (Ad).
The hydroxyl groups of NDs first reacted with 1, 1-adamantanecarbonyl chloride
to obtain ND-Ad, which was further functionalized with β-CD containing hyperbranched polymers to form the final ND-β-CD-HPG composites. The successful
preparation of ND-β-CD-HPG composites was confirmed by several characterization techniques. Furthermore, the loading and release of the anticancer agent doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) on ND-β-CD-HPG composites was also examined
to explore its potential in drug delivery. When compared with traditional methods
of surface modification of NDs, this method was convenient, fast, and efficient. We
demonstrated that ND-β-CD-HPG composites have great water dispersibility, low
toxicity, high drug-loading capacity, and controlled drug-release behavior. Based on
these characteristics, ND-β-CD-HPG composites are expected to have high potential
for biomedical applications.
Jiang et al. (2018) [14] prepared an oligo(ethylene glycol)-based amphiphilic
star polymer containing fluorescent coumarin as end groups and dual tertiary amine
as center. This polymer could self-assemble into vesicles in the aqueous solution.
The crosslinking pattern in the hydrophobic membrane of the vesicles could
form noncovalent crosslinking by adding γ-CD into the solution, and the formed
2/1 host–guest inclusion between γ-CD and coumarin groups led to a higher
sensitivity and faster disassembly speed of the vesicles by injecting CO 2 ; while
after 365 nm light irradiation, the formed coumarin dimers acting as crosslinking
point gave a more stable hydrophobic membrane and less sensitive to CO 2 . The
work reported here gives a notable polymer system that the CO 2 -responsive behaviors can be easily tuned by controlling the crosslinking pattern, bearing a great
promise in the areas including latexes, surfaces, sensors, carriers, and so on.
Zhang et al. (2014) [15] reported a fabrication of photoresponsive block-controllable supramolecular polymer which was constructed through host–guest interactions. This supramolecular polymer based on the assembly of two homopolymers
according to the host–guest recognition between CDs and Ad/Azo moieties in
aqueous solution is a kind of triblock polymer. Upon alternating irradiation of UV/
visible light, this triblock polymer can reversibly transform into supramolecular
diblock polymers with the change in morphology between the self-assembly
and disassembly. In addition, this supramolecular polymer showed potential applications in stimuli-responsive drug delivery systems.
Yuan et al. (2017) [16] prepared a kind of functional (PCL-CD)16/
Azo-PDMAEMA supramolecular aggregates with tunable morphologies based
458
F. Gu and X. Ma