Ice recrystallisation inhibiting polymer nano-objects via saline-tolerant polymerisation-induced self-assembly.

ABSTRACT: Chemical tools to modulate ice formation/growth have great (bio)-technological value, with ice binding/antifreeze proteins being exciting targets for biomimetic materials. Here we introduce polymer nanomaterials that are potent inhibitors of ice recrystallisation using polymerisation-induced self-assembly (PISA), employing a poly(vinyl alcohol) graft macromolecular chain transfer agent (macro-CTA). Crucially, engineering the core-forming block with diacetone acrylamide enabled PISA to be conducted in saline, whereas poly(2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate) cores led to coagulation. The most active particles inhibited ice growth as low as 0.5 mg mL^-1, and were more active than the PVA stabiliser block alone, showing that the dense packing of this nanoparticle format enhanced activity.

SUBMITTER: Georgiou PG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7116880 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature