CERPS – Core exposure in responsive polymer systems

Polymer nanoparticles – small balls of polymer that have diameters around one thousand times less than the thickness of a human hair – are used in a wide variety of applications, from drug carrier and delivery systems, medical imaging techniques (such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) contrast agents) all the way to engine oil additives. Smart polymers – materials that can change their properties on response to changes in temperature or acidity for example – are becoming more widely used in these applications, offering advantages such as controlled release of drugs or selective thickening of liquids. These smart polymers typically have an unreactive coating – often known as a stealth polymer – to shield from unwanted interactions with their surroundings. However, if the correct balance of smart polymer with unreactive shell within the particles is not achieved, problems can occur such as; rapid clearance by the liver or cell death (in drug delivery and imaging) or irreversible binding to surfaces (in oil additives and recovery).
In this project computer simulations will be coupled with practical experiments, to predict what the outside of a smart polymer particle will look like when it responds to its environmental conditions. This will allow us to predict when the surface will change, and design more effective, safer smart polymer particles for use in drug delivery, imaging and oil additives.