Pluronic family

It is, of course, possible to prepare a molecule that has both polar and nonpolar characteristics. This is the basis of surfactant chemistry. Typically, a nonpolar molecule is modified by sulfonation. The well-known Pluronic family of surfactants is based on block polymerization of polypropylene oxide (the hydrophobe) and polyethylene oxide (the hydrophUe). It is conceptually possible to build a polyurethane 2005 by CRC Press LLC... 

Commercially available grades of sequential PEO-PPO-PEO or reverse PPO-PEO-PPO triblock copolymers of Pluronic family (also known as poloxamers) are already components of topical, oral and parenteral formulations approved by US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) [37, 40], Related X-shape copolymers with a central ethylenediamine... 

The surfactant in this case, L64, is a member of the Pluronic family (marketed by BASF) these are triblocks composed of poly(ethyleneoxide) (PEO) and poly(propyleneoxide) (PPO) blocks. Some of these surfactants are popular in drug delivery, others are used in washing powders and personal care products such as toothpaste. The surfactants are soft they are mild to the skin. The amphiphilic power is modest too. The hydrophilic block PEO is only slightly less hydrophobic than the PPO block. In fact, the solubility of PEO is an unresolved mystery in itself, maybe related to the cage structure of the hydrated ethylene oxide monomer. Poly (methylene oxide) is insoluble, PEO is soluble, PPO and poly (butylene oxide) and higher are all insoluble. 

Another area in which smart hydrogels are likely to find application is the development of more efficient drug delivery systems. One material that has showed promise in this held is called Pluronic-PAA. Its trade name is Smart Hydrogel . The material is a mixture of two polymers, one of which is poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), which attaches readily to other biological materials and is responsive to changes in pH. The other polymer is a copolymer of poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). This copolymer belongs to a family of polymers known by the trade name of Pluronic polymers. 

Many polymers we used to fabricate nanoparticles are mucoadhesive [78,79]. Among them, e.g., alginate, carrageenans, pectin, etc., are typically used as the core polymers, thus hidden inside the nanoparticulate structure. The interior can be exposed while the nanoparticle undergoes transformation and break-up at the interaction with the gut epithelium. However, there is no doubt that the outer (shell) polymer Pluronic F-68, typically used to prevent aggregation, exhibits a very high degree of mucoadhesion, as do other members of the PEO family of polymers [79]. 

The copolymers are another family of non UV-absorbing nonionic surfectants, in which the hydrophilic chain is an ethylene oxide polymer, and the hydrophobic chain is a propylene oxide polymer. The two polymers can be connected in one or several points. For example, the Pluronic series from the Wyandotte Chemicals Corporation are block copolymers with the general formula ... 

One of the well-known conunercialized BCP families is those based on poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(propylene oxide). These polymers have been conunercialized by BASF under the trade name Pluronic. These BCPs are widely used as surfactants in a range of products including cosmetics and pharmaceuticals as well as in the petroleum and paper industries. BCPs have also been commercialized as thermoplastic elastomers. These include poly(styrene)- -poly(isoprene)- -poly(styrene) or poly(styrene)- -poly(butadiene)- -poly(styrene) BCPs, sold... 

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