Scalable Aqueous Reversible Addition–Fragmentation Chain Transfer Photopolymerization-Induced Self-Assembly of Acrylamides for Direct Synthesis of Polymer Nanoparticles for Potential Drug Delivery Applications

Abstract

The synthesis of polymer nanoparticles for potential drug delivery applications via photoinduced electron transfer-reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer aqueous dispersion polymerizations employing Eosin Y/triethanol amine as catalytic system is described. A scalable synthesis procedure for the polymerization of poly(dimethyl acrylamide)-b-(poly(diaceteone-stat-dimethyl acrylamide)) is reported under visible light (lambda(max) = 530 nm). A variety of solid contents and block lengths for the solvophilic and solvophobic blocks are investigated, expanding the compositional space of worms, jellyfish, and vesicles using flow chemistry. A simple two-step process using a coupled flow reactor setup is used without the need for intermediate purification.