Designing polymersomes with surface-integrated nanoparticles through hierarchical phase separation
Abstract Polymersomes with surface-integrated nanoparticles, in which a smaller sphere is attached to a larger capsule, are typically formed through complex processes like membrane deformation, polymerization, or membrane functionalization. This complexity restricts facile application of this unusua...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57711-y |
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| author | Jingxin Shao Yingtong Luo Hanglong Wu Jianhong Wang Xuan Zhou Süleyman Er Shoupeng Cao Hongyu Sun H. Hugo Pérez Garza Hongkui Zheng Heiner Friedrich Loai K. E. A. Abdelmohsen Jan C. M. van Hest |
| author_facet | Jingxin Shao Yingtong Luo Hanglong Wu Jianhong Wang Xuan Zhou Süleyman Er Shoupeng Cao Hongyu Sun H. Hugo Pérez Garza Hongkui Zheng Heiner Friedrich Loai K. E. A. Abdelmohsen Jan C. M. van Hest |
| author_sort | Jingxin Shao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Polymersomes with surface-integrated nanoparticles, in which a smaller sphere is attached to a larger capsule, are typically formed through complex processes like membrane deformation, polymerization, or membrane functionalization. This complexity restricts facile application of this unusual topology, for example in drug delivery or nanomotor science. Our study introduces a robust method for crafting polymersomes with surface-integrated nanoparticles using a hierarchical phase separation approach. By co-assembling block copolymers with aromatic aggregation-induced emission (AIE) moieties as side chains and photothermal-responsive guest molecules (PTM), spontaneous sequential phase separation processes occur that lead to their controlled formation. Polymer-rich liquid droplets form first, followed by internal phase separation of the guest molecules, which determines the formation of asymmetric morphology. This mechanism is elucidated in detail using liquid-phase transmission and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (LP-TEM and cryo-TEM) and corroborated by theoretical simulations of the interaction forces between the block copolymers and guest molecules. Finally, the application potential of polymersomes with surface-integrated nanoparticles as nanomotors is demonstrated. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cf5f0a9723324763ae6fc0c106738bbe |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-cf5f0a9723324763ae6fc0c106738bbe2025-08-20T03:01:23ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-03-0116111510.1038/s41467-025-57711-yDesigning polymersomes with surface-integrated nanoparticles through hierarchical phase separationJingxin Shao0Yingtong Luo1Hanglong Wu2Jianhong Wang3Xuan Zhou4Süleyman Er5Shoupeng Cao6Hongyu Sun7H. Hugo Pérez Garza8Hongkui Zheng9Heiner Friedrich10Loai K. E. A. Abdelmohsen11Jan C. M. van Hest12Bio-Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of TechnologyBio-Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of TechnologyBio-Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of TechnologyBio-Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of TechnologyDIFFER—Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy ResearchDIFFER—Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy ResearchCollege of Polymer Science and Engineering, Sichuan UniversityDENSsolutions B.V.DENSsolutions B.V.DENSsolutions B.V.Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Center for Multiscale Electron Microscopy (CMEM), Eindhoven University of TechnologyBio-Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of TechnologyBio-Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS), Eindhoven University of TechnologyAbstract Polymersomes with surface-integrated nanoparticles, in which a smaller sphere is attached to a larger capsule, are typically formed through complex processes like membrane deformation, polymerization, or membrane functionalization. This complexity restricts facile application of this unusual topology, for example in drug delivery or nanomotor science. Our study introduces a robust method for crafting polymersomes with surface-integrated nanoparticles using a hierarchical phase separation approach. By co-assembling block copolymers with aromatic aggregation-induced emission (AIE) moieties as side chains and photothermal-responsive guest molecules (PTM), spontaneous sequential phase separation processes occur that lead to their controlled formation. Polymer-rich liquid droplets form first, followed by internal phase separation of the guest molecules, which determines the formation of asymmetric morphology. This mechanism is elucidated in detail using liquid-phase transmission and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (LP-TEM and cryo-TEM) and corroborated by theoretical simulations of the interaction forces between the block copolymers and guest molecules. Finally, the application potential of polymersomes with surface-integrated nanoparticles as nanomotors is demonstrated.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57711-y |
| spellingShingle | Jingxin Shao Yingtong Luo Hanglong Wu Jianhong Wang Xuan Zhou Süleyman Er Shoupeng Cao Hongyu Sun H. Hugo Pérez Garza Hongkui Zheng Heiner Friedrich Loai K. E. A. Abdelmohsen Jan C. M. van Hest Designing polymersomes with surface-integrated nanoparticles through hierarchical phase separation Nature Communications |
| title | Designing polymersomes with surface-integrated nanoparticles through hierarchical phase separation |
| title_full | Designing polymersomes with surface-integrated nanoparticles through hierarchical phase separation |
| title_fullStr | Designing polymersomes with surface-integrated nanoparticles through hierarchical phase separation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Designing polymersomes with surface-integrated nanoparticles through hierarchical phase separation |
| title_short | Designing polymersomes with surface-integrated nanoparticles through hierarchical phase separation |
| title_sort | designing polymersomes with surface integrated nanoparticles through hierarchical phase separation |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-57711-y |
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