Block ionomer complex

Similar IPEC-based aqueous micelles can be obtained from the mixing of a double-hydrophilic copolymer AB with a homopolymer C or a diblock copolymer AC or a diblock copolymer DC, provided that IPECs can form between the B and C blocks. This kind of electrostatic complex has also been referred to as block ionomer complexes, or BIC. 

Figure 9.4 Core-shell polyplex structures (A) cationic particles with a core from neutralized DNA and polycation and a corona from polycation chains adsorbed on the core (B) electroneutral particles ( polyion complex micelles or block ionomer complex ) with a core from neutralized DNA and poly cation and a corona from nonionic water soluble polymer.

Bronich, T.K., Popov, A.M., Eisenberg, A., Kabanov, V.A. and Kabanov, A.V. (2000c) Effects of block length and structure of surfactant on self-assembly and solution behavior of block ionomer complexes. Langmuir, 16, 481 189. 

Figure 47.1. Types of naiiocaniers for dmg delivery. A liposomes B nanopaiticles C nanospheres D nanosuspensions E polymer micelles F- nanogel G block ionomer complexes H nanofibers and nanot ...

Kabanov V A, Kabanov A V (1998). Interpolyelectrolyte and block ionomer complexes for gene delivery physico-chemical aspects. Adv. Drug Deliv. Rev. 30 49-60. 

Wu Wu, S.-Y., Guo, Q.-P., Peng, S.-H., Hameed, N., Kraska, M., Stiihn, Mai, Y.-W. Toughening epoxy thermosets with block ionomer complexes A nanostmcture-mechanical property correlation. Macromolecules 45 (2012) 3829-3840. 

Polyanions and polycations can co-react in aqueous solution to form polyelectrolyte complexes via a process closely linked to self-assembly processes [47]. Despite progresses in the field of (inter-) polyelectrolyte complexes [47] (IPEC from Gohy et al. [48], block ionomer complexes BIC from Kabanov et al. [49], polyion complex PIC from Kataoka and colleagues [50, 51], and complex coacervate core micelles C3M from Cohen Stuart and colleagues [52], understanding of more complex structures such as polyplexes (polyelectrolyte complexes of DNA and polycations) [53] is rather limited [54]. It has also to be considered that the behavior of cationic polymers in the presence of DNA and their complexes can be unpredictable, particularly in physiological environments due to the presence of other polyelectrolytes (i.e., proteins and enzymes) and variations in pH, etc. 

The most interesting situation is that where the complex formation occurs between two block copolymers A-B and A-C, respectively C-D, with specific interactions between the blocks B and C (see Figure 7.8, scheme (c)), such PIC, also called block ionomer complexes (BIC) have been studied quite extensively in aqueous medium by Harada and Kataoka [270] and by Kabanov and Alakhov [271] due to their practical interest in controlled delivery systems. Kataoka and co-workers have for instance shown that water-soluble PlCs for biomedical applications are formed by combination of PEO-poly(L-lysine) and PEO-poly (a, /3-aspartic acid). These authors have further demonstrated that the PIC micelles prepared under charge-neutralized conditions have an extremely narrow size distribution if matched pairs of copolymers with the same block lengths of polyanions and polycations are combined [272]. 

Sl.Solomatin, S. V., T. K. Bronich, V. A. Kabanov, A. Eisenberg and A. V. Kabanov, 2001, Block ionomer complexes novel environmentally responsive materials. Polym. Prepr. 42 107-108. 

These particles are called by several names in literature block ionomer complexes [57], polyion complex micelles [58], complex coacervate core micelles [59] and polyelectrolyte complex micelles. An extensive review of this type of micelle has been written by Voets et al. [60]. 

Pothayee N et al (2012) Magnetic block ionomer complexes for potential dual imaging and therapeutic agents. Chem Mater 24 2056-2063. doi 10.1021/cm3004062... 

Solomatin SV, Bronich TK, Eisenberg A, Kabanov VA, Kabanov AV (2004) Colloidal stability of aqueous dispersions of block ionomer complexes effects of temperature and salt. Langmuir 20 2066-2068. doi 10.1021/la034895f... 

Kim JO et al (2013) Cross-linked polymeric micelles based on block ionomer complexes. Mendeleev Commun 23 179-186. doi 10.1016/j.mencom.2013.07.001... 

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