Unimolecular Micelles: Design, Synthesis, and Properties

在这个由化学系高分子、超分子和纳米化学计划资助的项目中，康涅狄格大学的道格拉斯·亚当森将合成和研究能够在溶液中形成稳定的单链球状的聚合物。在非常一般的意义上，天然蛋白质是主要由疏水单体和相对较薄的亲水单体组成的聚合物，它们位于蛋白质球体表面。有人预测，如果单链聚合物小球具有这种形态，它们可以稳定到聚集和沉淀。为了验证这一预测，将合成包含疏水主链和一系列亲水接枝的聚合物，这些接枝用于稳定单个聚合物链以防止絮凝和沉淀。聚合物结构的设计将由预测亲水组分的放置和类型对合成聚合物的稳定性和形态的影响的理论工作来驱动和提供信息。这类研究的更广泛影响包括增加我们对蛋白质折叠和形态的理解，以及为可能执行蛋白质某些功能的合成材料打开大门。此外，该项目将访问当地学校，并将有助于本科生和研究生的培训。创建尺寸在纳米量级的精确定义的结构(称为“纳米结构”)仍然是化学家面临的挑战。自然界已经完善了许多组装纳米结构的方法，包括将蛋白质折叠成精确定义的三维纳米结构。聚合物是一种长链有机分子，存在于日常生活的许多方面，使用塑料，包括食品包装、汽车和航空航天运输的结构材料，以及轻型电子设备。这个项目试图了解合成聚合物如何在非常基本的水平上模拟蛋白质的纳米结构形成能力。最终，精确定义的合成纳米结构可能会影响从制药到生物技术和电子等各种技术。

In this project, funded by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular and Nanochemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, Douglas Adamson of the University of Connecticut will synthesize and study polymers that can form stable, single chain globules in solution. Natural proteins, in a very general sense, are polymers containing mostly hydrophobic monomers and a relatively thin layer of hydrophilic monomers at the surface of the protein globule. It has been predicted that single chain polymer globules can be stabilized to aggregation and precipitation if they possess this type of morphology. To test this prediction, polymers will be synthesized that contain a hydrophobic main chain and a set number of hydrophilic grafts serving to stabilize the single polymer chain against flocculation and precipitation. The design of the polymer architecture will be driven and informed by theoretical work that predicts the effect of the placement and type of hydrophilic components on the stability and morphology of the synthesized polymer. The broader impacts such research include increasing our understanding of the folding and morphology of proteins, as well as opening the door for synthetic materials that may perform some of the functions of proteins. In addition, the project will involve visits to local schools and will contribute to the training of undergraduate and graduate students.The creation of precisely defined structures that have dimensions on the order of nanometers (termed "nanostructures") continues to be a challenge for chemists. Nature has perfected many methods to assembly nanostructures, including the folding of proteins into precisely defined 3-dimensional nanostructures. Polymers are long chain organic molecules and are found in many facets of everyday life that utilize plastics, including food packaging, structural materials for automotive and aerospace transportation, and lightweight electronic devices. This project seeks to understand how synthetic polymers can mimic the nanostructure forming abilities of proteins at a very fundamental level. Ultimately, precisely defined synthetic nanostructures could impact technologies ranging from pharmaceuticals to biotechnology and electronics.