Stimuli-Responsive Vesicles and Hydrogels Formed by a Single-Tailed Dynamic Covalent Surfactant in Aqueous Solutions

Controlling the hierarchical self-assembly of surfactants in aqueous solutions has drawn much attention due to their broad range of applications, from targeted drug release, preparation of smart material, to biocatalysis. However, the synthetic procedures for surfactants with stimuli-responsive hydr...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Chunlin Xu, Na Sun, Huaixiu Li, Xingchen Han, Ailing Zhang, Panpan Sun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-10-01
Series:Molecules
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/21/4984
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1846173294628175872
author Chunlin Xu
Na Sun
Huaixiu Li
Xingchen Han
Ailing Zhang
Panpan Sun
author_facet Chunlin Xu
Na Sun
Huaixiu Li
Xingchen Han
Ailing Zhang
Panpan Sun
author_sort Chunlin Xu
collection DOAJ
description Controlling the hierarchical self-assembly of surfactants in aqueous solutions has drawn much attention due to their broad range of applications, from targeted drug release, preparation of smart material, to biocatalysis. However, the synthetic procedures for surfactants with stimuli-responsive hydrophobic chains are complicated, which restricts the development of surfactants. Herein, a novel single-tailed responsive surfactant, 1-methyl-3-(2-(4-((tetradecylimino) methyl) phenoxy) ethyl)-3-imidazolium bromides (C<sub>14</sub>PMimBr), was facilely fabricated in situ by simply mixing an aldehyde-functionalized imidazolium cation (3-(2-(4-formylphenoxy) ethyl)-1-methyl imidazolium bromide, BAMimBr) and aliphatic amine (tetradecylamine, TDA) through dynamic imine bonding. With increasing concentration, micelles, vesicles, and hydrogels were spontaneously formed by the hierarchical self-assembly of C<sub>14</sub>PMimBr in aqueous solutions without any additives. The morphologies of vesicles and hydrogels were characterized by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The mechanical properties and microstructure information of hydrogels were demonstrated by rheological measurement, X-ray diffraction, and density functional theory calculation. In addition, the vesicles could be disassembled and reassembled with the breakage and reformation of imine bonds by adding acid/bubbling CO<sub>2</sub> and adding alkali. This work provides a simple method for constructing stimuli-responsive surfactant systems and shows great potential application in targeted drug release, drug delivery, and intelligent materials.
format Article
id doaj-art-2624a4630ad54e6ea8bd76f0aad066b1
institution Kabale University
issn 1420-3049
language English
publishDate 2024-10-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Molecules
spelling doaj-art-2624a4630ad54e6ea8bd76f0aad066b12024-11-08T14:37:58ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492024-10-012921498410.3390/molecules29214984Stimuli-Responsive Vesicles and Hydrogels Formed by a Single-Tailed Dynamic Covalent Surfactant in Aqueous SolutionsChunlin Xu0Na Sun1Huaixiu Li2Xingchen Han3Ailing Zhang4Panpan Sun5School of Bioscience and Technology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, ChinaCollege of Pharmacy, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, ChinaSchool of Bioscience and Technology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, ChinaSchool of Bioscience and Technology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, ChinaCollege of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Chemistry, Weifang University, Weifang 261061, ChinaSchool of Bioscience and Technology, Shandong Second Medical University, Weifang 261053, ChinaControlling the hierarchical self-assembly of surfactants in aqueous solutions has drawn much attention due to their broad range of applications, from targeted drug release, preparation of smart material, to biocatalysis. However, the synthetic procedures for surfactants with stimuli-responsive hydrophobic chains are complicated, which restricts the development of surfactants. Herein, a novel single-tailed responsive surfactant, 1-methyl-3-(2-(4-((tetradecylimino) methyl) phenoxy) ethyl)-3-imidazolium bromides (C<sub>14</sub>PMimBr), was facilely fabricated in situ by simply mixing an aldehyde-functionalized imidazolium cation (3-(2-(4-formylphenoxy) ethyl)-1-methyl imidazolium bromide, BAMimBr) and aliphatic amine (tetradecylamine, TDA) through dynamic imine bonding. With increasing concentration, micelles, vesicles, and hydrogels were spontaneously formed by the hierarchical self-assembly of C<sub>14</sub>PMimBr in aqueous solutions without any additives. The morphologies of vesicles and hydrogels were characterized by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The mechanical properties and microstructure information of hydrogels were demonstrated by rheological measurement, X-ray diffraction, and density functional theory calculation. In addition, the vesicles could be disassembled and reassembled with the breakage and reformation of imine bonds by adding acid/bubbling CO<sub>2</sub> and adding alkali. This work provides a simple method for constructing stimuli-responsive surfactant systems and shows great potential application in targeted drug release, drug delivery, and intelligent materials.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/21/4984surfactantdynamic covalent bondresponsive vesicleaggregation behavior
spellingShingle Chunlin Xu
Na Sun
Huaixiu Li
Xingchen Han
Ailing Zhang
Panpan Sun
Stimuli-Responsive Vesicles and Hydrogels Formed by a Single-Tailed Dynamic Covalent Surfactant in Aqueous Solutions
Molecules
surfactant
dynamic covalent bond
responsive vesicle
aggregation behavior
title Stimuli-Responsive Vesicles and Hydrogels Formed by a Single-Tailed Dynamic Covalent Surfactant in Aqueous Solutions
title_full Stimuli-Responsive Vesicles and Hydrogels Formed by a Single-Tailed Dynamic Covalent Surfactant in Aqueous Solutions
title_fullStr Stimuli-Responsive Vesicles and Hydrogels Formed by a Single-Tailed Dynamic Covalent Surfactant in Aqueous Solutions
title_full_unstemmed Stimuli-Responsive Vesicles and Hydrogels Formed by a Single-Tailed Dynamic Covalent Surfactant in Aqueous Solutions
title_short Stimuli-Responsive Vesicles and Hydrogels Formed by a Single-Tailed Dynamic Covalent Surfactant in Aqueous Solutions
title_sort stimuli responsive vesicles and hydrogels formed by a single tailed dynamic covalent surfactant in aqueous solutions
topic surfactant
dynamic covalent bond
responsive vesicle
aggregation behavior
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/21/4984
work_keys_str_mv AT chunlinxu stimuliresponsivevesiclesandhydrogelsformedbyasingletaileddynamiccovalentsurfactantinaqueoussolutions
AT nasun stimuliresponsivevesiclesandhydrogelsformedbyasingletaileddynamiccovalentsurfactantinaqueoussolutions
AT huaixiuli stimuliresponsivevesiclesandhydrogelsformedbyasingletaileddynamiccovalentsurfactantinaqueoussolutions
AT xingchenhan stimuliresponsivevesiclesandhydrogelsformedbyasingletaileddynamiccovalentsurfactantinaqueoussolutions
AT ailingzhang stimuliresponsivevesiclesandhydrogelsformedbyasingletaileddynamiccovalentsurfactantinaqueoussolutions
AT panpansun stimuliresponsivevesiclesandhydrogelsformedbyasingletaileddynamiccovalentsurfactantinaqueoussolutions