pH-Induced Release from P2VP−PEO Block Copolymer Vesicles

• DOI: 10.1021/la060227t
• Publication Date: 2006-06-10T17:41:18Z
• Authors: Uwe Borchert; Ute Lipprandt; Matthias Bilang; Andrea Kimpfler; Anja Rank; Regine Peschka-Süss; Rolf Schubert; Peter Lindner; Stephan Förster
• Keywords: Neutron Diffraction; Microscopy, Video; Microscopy, Fluorescence; Cryoelectron Microscopy; Membranes, Artificial; Polyvinyls; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; 01 natural sciences; Polyethylene Glycols; 0104 chemical sciences

The pH-induced release of hydrophilic dyes from poly(2-vinylpyridine-b-ethylene oxide) (P2VP−PEO) block copolymer vesicles is investigated. structure the characterized using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). A decrease pH below 5 leads to protonation dissolution poly-2-vinylpyridine blocks which induces rupture vesicle membrane. Details rupture, dissolution, process are studied by fluorescence video microscopy, gel electrophoresis, high-performance ultrafiltration.