Modification and characterization of starch nanoparticles

胶乳是聚合物粒子在水中的分散体，可用于多种用途，如涂料，它们在其中结合在一起，在表面形成保护性涂层，或用作粘合剂，确保构成纸和纸板的无纺布纤维的粘合力，或用作地毯背衬，它们为编织纤维提供强度和支撑。聚合物乳液通常是从石油馏分中生产的。随着石油供应变得稀缺和昂贵，该行业正在寻找更便宜、更环保的替代品，以取代基于石油的乳胶。Ecoynthetix以玉米或木薯淀粉为原料制备了一种碳水化合物乳胶。因此，生态球®由可再生资源生产，并在水中形成稳定的交联型淀粉颗粒乳液，已在造纸工业中得到应用。这项建议旨在通过对这些生物乳胶进行化学修饰，并表征这些修饰赋予纳米粒子的性质，来扩大对这些生物乳胶的理解和应用范围。生态球®纳米颗粒将通过疏水侧基、带正电荷和带负电荷的基团或其组合的共价连接以及线性聚合物的连接(接枝)进行修饰。这些修饰的程度将被量化，它们对所获得材料的物理性能的影响将分别在分子和宏观水平上通过荧光和流变学实验来研究。将测试它们在纸张涂布应用中作为改进的Biolatex粘结剂的性能。此外，还将通过监测其载药量、靶向效果和对活细胞的毒性来探索将改良的生态球®用作药物输送载体的可能性。总而言之，这套实验将提供对生态球®纳米颗粒进行修饰所产生的结构-性质关系的全面了解。

Latexes are dispersions of polymer particles in water useful in multiple applications such as paints, where they coalesce to form a protective coating on surfaces, or as binders ensuring the adhesion of non-woven fibers constituting paper and paperboard, or as carpet backing, where they provide strength and support for the woven fibers. Polymers latexes are typically produced from petroleum distillates. As oil supplies become scarce and more expensive, the industry is looking for cheaper and greener alternatives to petroleum-based latexes. Ecosphere® is a carbohydrate-based latex prepared by Ecosynthetix from corn or tapioca starch feedstocks. Ecosphere® is thus produced from renewable resources and forms stable emulsions of crosslinked starch particles in water that have already found applications in the paper industry. This proposal aims to expand the understanding and the scope of application of these biolatexes by chemically modifying them, and characterizing the properties imparted the nanoparticles by these modifications. Ecosphere® nanoparticles will be modified by the covalent attachment of either hydrophobic pendants, positively and negatively charged groups, or a combination thereof, and through the attachment (grafting) of linear polymers. The extent of these modifications will be quantified and their influence on the physical properties of the materials obtained will be investigated at the molecular and macroscopic levels with fluorescence and rheology experiments, respectively. Their performance as improved biolatex binders in paper coating applications will be tested. Furthermore the possibility of using modified Ecosphere® as drug delivery vehicles will be explored by monitoring their loading capacity, targeting efficacy, and toxicity to living cells. Together, this set of experiments will provide a comprehensive understanding of the structure-property relationships resulting from the modifications applied to the Ecosphere® nanoparticles.