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Polyelectrolytes and Polyelectrolyte Complexes: Ionic Macromolecule-Based Functional Materials
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Polyelectrolytes and Polyelectrolyte Complexes: Ionic Macromolecule-Based Functional Materials

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Macromolecules".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2024 | Viewed by 2271

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Barbara Jachimska

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 30-239 Krakow, Poland
Interests: colloids; biochemistry; analytical chemistry; characterization of macromolecules; functional layers; protein self-assembly system; drug delivery; dendrimer properties and applications

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polyelectrolytes constitute a broad group of compounds, which, depending on their origin, are divided into natural polyelectrolytes, synthetic polyelectrolytes, and chemically modified biopolymers. The ease of creating polyelectrolyte complexes (PECs) and the possibility of introducing various modifiers into them mean that there is enormous potential for obtaining systems with the desired composition and architecture. Obtaining functional materials with strictly controlled properties is extremely important for their application and constitutes the basis of modern nanotechnologies. The primary goal is to understand and quantitatively describe the fundamental laws and phenomena that determine the properties of such materials. PECs show huge potential for application in biotechnology, medicine, pharmacy, and environmental protection, among other areas.

This Special Issue, “Polyelectrolytes and Polyelectrolyte Complexes: Ionic Macromolecule-Based Functional Materials”, will present publications that show the spectrum of applications of materials based on polyelectrolyte systems, including correlations showing the close relationship between the composition and properties of the obtained materials.

Interdisciplinary publications covering experimental methods and simulations that identify the physicochemical properties of polyelectrolyte systems to control their function and structure at the molecular level are welcome.

We will accept full articles and reviews presenting significant and recent achievements in using polyelectrolytes and analyses of their structure, properties, and applications.

Prof. Dr. Barbara Jachimska
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • polyelectrolytes
  • polyelectrolyte complexes
  • functional materials based on PEC
  • polyelectrolyte structure, properties, and applications
  • polyelectrolytes self-assembly
  • molecular dynamic simulation of polyelectrolytes

Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 3493 KiB  
Article
Dendrimer Platforms for Targeted Doxorubicin Delivery—Physicochemical Properties in Context of Biological Responses
by Magdalena Szota, Urszula Szwedowicz, Nina Rembialkowska, Anna Janicka-Klos, Daniel Doveiko, Yu Chen, Julita Kulbacka and Barbara Jachimska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(13), 7201; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25137201 - 29 Jun 2024
Viewed by 615
Abstract
The unique structure of G4.0 PAMAM dendrimers allows a drug to be enclosed in internal spaces or immobilized on the surface. In the conducted research, the conditions for the formation of the active G4.0 PAMAM complex with doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) were optimized. The [...] Read more.
The unique structure of G4.0 PAMAM dendrimers allows a drug to be enclosed in internal spaces or immobilized on the surface. In the conducted research, the conditions for the formation of the active G4.0 PAMAM complex with doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) were optimized. The physicochemical properties of the system were monitored using dynamic light scattering (DLS), circular dichroism (CD), and fluorescence spectroscopy. The Quartz Crystal Microbalance with Dissipation Monitoring (QCM-D) method was chosen to determine the preferential conditions for the complex formation. The highest binding efficiency of the drug to the cationic dendrimer was observed under basic conditions when the DOX molecule was deprotonated. The decrease in the zeta potential of the complex confirms that DOX immobilizes through electrostatic interaction with the carrier’s surface amine groups. The binding constants were determined from the fluorescence quenching of the DOX molecule in the presence of G4.0 PAMAM. The two-fold way of binding doxorubicin in the structure of dendrimers was visible in the Isothermal calorimetry (ITC) isotherm. Fluorescence spectra and release curves identified the reversible binding of DOX to the nanocarrier. Among the selected cancer cells, the most promising anticancer activity of the G4.0-DOX complex was observed in A375 malignant melanoma cells. Moreover, the preferred intracellular location of the complexes concerning the free drug was found, which is essential from a therapeutic point of view. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyelectrolytes and Polyelectrolyte Complexes: Ionic Macromolecule-Based Functional Materials)
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16 pages, 5930 KiB  
Article
Chondroitin Sulfate-Based Nanocapsules as Nanocarriers for Drugs and Nutraceutical Supplements
by Magdalena Górniewicz, Dawid Wnuk, Aleksander Foryś, Barbara Trzebicka, Marta Michalik and Mariusz Kepczynski
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(11), 5897; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25115897 - 28 May 2024
Viewed by 517
Abstract
Oil-core nanocapsules (NCs, also known as nanoemulsions) are of great interest due to their application as efficient carriers of various lipophilic bioactives, such as drugs. Here, we reported for the first time the preparation and characterization of NCs consisting of chondroitin sulfate (CS)-based [...] Read more.
Oil-core nanocapsules (NCs, also known as nanoemulsions) are of great interest due to their application as efficient carriers of various lipophilic bioactives, such as drugs. Here, we reported for the first time the preparation and characterization of NCs consisting of chondroitin sulfate (CS)-based shells and liquid oil cores. For this purpose, two amphiphilic CS derivatives (AmCSs) were obtained by grafting the polysaccharide chain with octadecyl or oleyl groups. AmCS-based NCs were prepared by an ultrasound-assisted emulsification of an oil phase consisting of a mixture of triglyceride oil and vitamin E in a dispersion of AmCSs. Dynamic light scattering and cryo-transmission electron microscopy showed that the as-prepared core–shell NCs have typical diameters in the range of 30–250 nm and spherical morphology. Since CS is a strong polyanion, these particles have a very low surface potential, which promotes their stabilization. The cytotoxicity of the CS derivatives and CS-based NCs and their impact on cell proliferation were analyzed using human keratinocytes (HaCaTs) and primary human skin fibroblasts (HSFs). In vitro studies showed that AmCSs dispersed in an aqueous medium, exhibiting mild cytotoxicity against HaCaTs, while for HSFs, the harmful effect was observed only for the CS derivative with octadecyl side groups. However, the nanocapsules coated with AmCSs, especially those filled with vitamin E, show high biocompatibility with human skin cells. Due to their stability under physiological conditions, the high encapsulation efficiency of their hydrophobic compounds, and biocompatibility, AmCS-based NCs are promising carriers for the topical delivery of lipophilic bioactive compounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyelectrolytes and Polyelectrolyte Complexes: Ionic Macromolecule-Based Functional Materials)
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14 pages, 2750 KiB  
Article
Novel Polyelectrolytes Based on Naphthalene Diimide with Different Counteranions for Cathode Interlayers in Polymer Solar Cells
by Rahmatia Fitri Binti Nasrun, Dong Hwan Son and Joo Hyun Kim
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(1), 522; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25010522 - 30 Dec 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 816
Abstract
We synthesized novel polyelectrolytes based on naphthalene diimide with quaternary amine featuring hydroxyl groups at the side chain, along with different counteranions (PF-NDIN-Br-OH and PF-NDIN-I-OH) for polymer solar cell (PSC) application as the interlayer. The polyelectrolytes establish a beneficial interface dipole through the [...] Read more.
We synthesized novel polyelectrolytes based on naphthalene diimide with quaternary amine featuring hydroxyl groups at the side chain, along with different counteranions (PF-NDIN-Br-OH and PF-NDIN-I-OH) for polymer solar cell (PSC) application as the interlayer. The polyelectrolytes establish a beneficial interface dipole through the ionic moieties and synergistic effects arising from the hydroxyl groups located at the side chain. Incorporating polyelectrolytes as the cathode interlayer resulted in an enhancement of the power conversion efficiency (PCE). The PCE of the device with PF-NDIN-Br-OH increased from 8.96% to 9.51% compared to the ZnO-only device. The best PCE was obtained with the device based on PF-NDIN-I-OH, up to 9.59% resulting from the Jsc enhancement. This outcome implies a correlation between the performance of the device and the synergistic effects observed in polyelectrolytes containing hydroxyl groups in the side chain, along with larger anions when employed in PSCs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Polyelectrolytes and Polyelectrolyte Complexes: Ionic Macromolecule-Based Functional Materials)
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