Functional Polymer Zwitterions as Reactive Surfactants for Nanoparticle Capture

Zhefei Yang, Jing Zhao, Todd Emrick

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

We describe the synthesis of sulfothetin (ST)-containing polymer zwitterions and their use as polymer surfactants for stabilizing emulsion droplets and for capturing and transporting nanoparticles (NPs) through a flowing aqueous fluid. In contrast to conventional zwitterions, which are chemically inert, the multifunctional ST-containing copolymers we describe both participate in droplet stabilization and embed reactive functionality directly into the zwitterionic framework. Advantageously including these ST zwitterions in phosphorylcholine (PC)-containing copolymers proved particularly useful for producing surfactants that contributed characteristics of droplet stabilization and interfacial reactivity. This was demonstrated by NP pickup, or "capture", experiments that were performed by circulating ST-coated emulsion droplets across a substrate, in a flow cell, containing amine-functionalized silica NPs. The resultant NP adherence to the fluid-fluid interface of the droplets hinged on the available reactivity of both the electrophilic (from ST) and nucleophilic (from the NPs) components as well as the solution pH and extent of amine functionality on the NPs.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)21898-21904
Number of pages7
JournalACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
Volume13
Issue number18
DOIs
StatePublished - May 12 2021
Externally publishedYes

Funding

This work was supported by the Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Science and Engineering, under award number DE-SC0008876.

Keywords

  • emulsion droplets
  • fluid-fluid interface
  • nanoparticle capture
  • polymer zwitterion
  • sulfonium sulfonate

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Functional Polymer Zwitterions as Reactive Surfactants for Nanoparticle Capture'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this