Poster Session #2: UC Ballroom
Synthetic Architecture Control of Polymer Nanoparticles for Analytical Separations
Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Christopher Palmer
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Chemistry
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Analytical separation science is an enabling science which contributes to nearly every field of chemistry, biology, and engineering. Within the field of separation science electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) provides rapid analysis of complex samples utilizing field-deployable instrumentation. EKC utilizes the movement of nanoparticles relative to a background solution to facilitate the separation of small analyte molecules. This research has developed novel nanoparticle chemistries that improve the performance of EKC separations. Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) polymerization was used to control the architecture of the nanoparticles in order to engineer the desired function. The nanoparticles were synthesized using 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) monomer and butyl acrylate to form an AB-diblock polymer nanoparticle with an ionic shell and a hydrophobic core. The RAFT process entails synthesizing a chain transfer agent (CTA) containing a trithiocarbonyl functionality which mediates polymerization in order to synthesize the A-block polymer. Polymerization of the A-block polymer is continued with addition of butyl acrylate to form AB-diblock polymers which are aggregated to form a nanoparticle with a hydrophobic core. The nanoparticles are characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and linear solvation energy relationship (LSER). The NMR demonstrates successful synthesis of the AB-diblock polymer, the DLS results support a particle diameter of 30 nm ± 25%, and the LSER results indicate improved separation performance. The novel nanoparticles improve EKC by making it compatible with more detection methods, allowing separation of a wider range of samples, and allowing for customization of the separation process towards specific applications.
Synthetic Architecture Control of Polymer Nanoparticles for Analytical Separations
UC Ballroom
Analytical separation science is an enabling science which contributes to nearly every field of chemistry, biology, and engineering. Within the field of separation science electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) provides rapid analysis of complex samples utilizing field-deployable instrumentation. EKC utilizes the movement of nanoparticles relative to a background solution to facilitate the separation of small analyte molecules. This research has developed novel nanoparticle chemistries that improve the performance of EKC separations. Reversible Addition-Fragmentation Chain Transfer (RAFT) polymerization was used to control the architecture of the nanoparticles in order to engineer the desired function. The nanoparticles were synthesized using 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS) monomer and butyl acrylate to form an AB-diblock polymer nanoparticle with an ionic shell and a hydrophobic core. The RAFT process entails synthesizing a chain transfer agent (CTA) containing a trithiocarbonyl functionality which mediates polymerization in order to synthesize the A-block polymer. Polymerization of the A-block polymer is continued with addition of butyl acrylate to form AB-diblock polymers which are aggregated to form a nanoparticle with a hydrophobic core. The nanoparticles are characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and linear solvation energy relationship (LSER). The NMR demonstrates successful synthesis of the AB-diblock polymer, the DLS results support a particle diameter of 30 nm ± 25%, and the LSER results indicate improved separation performance. The novel nanoparticles improve EKC by making it compatible with more detection methods, allowing separation of a wider range of samples, and allowing for customization of the separation process towards specific applications.