Thermally-responsive interpenetrating polymer network nanoparticles as intelligent therapeutic systems

Thermally-responsive interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) nanoparticles, composed of polyacrylamide, poly(acrylic acid), poly(methacrylic acid), poly(2-ethylacrylic acid), and poly(2-propylacrylic acid), were synthesized using a sequential inverse emulsion polymerization technique. These materials were shown to exhibit a positive sigmoidal swelling response upon heating in solution. The positive swelling response of these nanoparticles serves as an ideal on/off trigger for controlled release of an encapsulated agent and could be used as a platform technology in a variety of applications. Solid gold nanoparticles (diameter ~ 40-50 nm) as well as gold nanoshells (diameter ~ 200 nm) were also synthesized using standard citrate reduction and core-shell synthesis methods, respectively. These materials were shown to absorb light in the visible to near infrared region and converted that energy to heat locally. The prepared gold nanoparticles were then incorporated within the IPN polymer particles by in situ polymerization during the first step of the sequential inverse emulsion polymerization. These novel metal-polymer nanocomposite particles were then grafted with linear poly(ethylene glycol) polymer chains to increase their biocompatibility and mononuclear phagocytic recognition avoidance or stealth characteristics. Swelling and imaging of the complete nanocomposite system in solution with only laser light activation was then achieved, making these an ideal system for a non-invasive externally-triggered controlled drug delivery device.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Chemical Engineering

Grantor

The University of Texas at Austin

Year dc:date.issued

2006

Author dc:creator

• Owens, Donald E., 1979-

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Peppas, Nicholas A., 1948-
• Richards-Kortum, Rebecca, 1964-

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright is held by the author. Presentation of this material on the Libraries' web site by University Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Identifier

b66063085

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repositories.lib.utexas.edu:2152/2843