Micro and Nano Gels

Preface

PART ONE INTRODUCTION AND PERSPECTIVE
1 Soft Microgels and Nanogels from a Physico-Chemical Perspective
2 Perspective on the Translational Potential of Responsive Micro- and Nanogels

PART TWO SYNTHESIS
3 Amphiphilic Random Copolymer Micelles: Design, Self-Assembly, and Functional Materials
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Design and Synthesis of Amphiphilic Random Copolymers
3.3 Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic Random Copolymers
3.4 Self-Sorting and Co-Self-Assembly of Binary Mixtures
3.5 Self-Healing and Selectively Adhesive Hydrogels
3.6 Functional Nanoaggregates
3.7 Conclusion

4 Advances in Synthesis of Functional Colloidal Gels
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Template-Free Synthesis Methods
4.3 Template-Based Synthesis Methods
4.4 Conclusions

PART THREE CHARACTERIZATION

5 Polymeric Microgels: Insights from Light Scattering, Electron Microscopy, and Optical Superresolution Techniques
5.1 Outline
5.2 COMMON THERMOSENSITIVE PNIPAM MICROGELS
5.3 CHARACTERIZATION TECHNIQUES FOR MICROGELS
5.4 CASE STUDIES
5.5 CONCLUSIONS

6 Formation and Shear Yielding Dynamics of Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Based Colloidal Gels
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Single microgel properties
6.3 Criteria of colloidal gelation
6.4 Shear yielding behavior of dilute colloidal gels
6.5 Conclusions

7 Structural characterization of microgels by means of neutron scattering, reflectometry, and computer simulations
7.1 Softness
7.2 Principles of small-angle scattering
7.3 In silico microgels
7.4 Microgel architecture in dilute suspensions
7.5 Microgel architecture in concentrated suspensions
7.6 Determination of the microgel elastic moduli
7.7 Microgel architecture at the interface studied by neutron reflectometry
7.8 Final remarks and outlooks

8 Dynamic and direct visualization of the nanostructure and functions of microgels via high-speed atomic force microscopy
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Evaluation of the inhomogeneous nanostructure in microgels
8.3 Real-time visualization of the microgel function
8.4 Surface characterization of microgels using force?indentation curves
8.5 Outlook

9 The analysis of the dynamics of microgels and their assemblies using light scattering techniques
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Model Microgels
9.3 Dilute Concentration Region
9.4 Intermediate Concentration Region
9.5 High Concentration Region
9.6 Conclusions

10 Computer Simulations of Nano- and Microgel Systems
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Nano- and microgels at the mesoscale
10.3 Nano- and microgels at other scales
10.4 Outlook

11 Electrophoresis of micro/nano gels
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Brinkman-Debye-Bueche model
11.3 Electric potential distribution across a gel layer
11.4 Large gel particle with a planar core surface
11.5 Electrophoresis of a spherical gel
11.6 Electrophoretic mobility of a weakly charged spherical gel particle
11.7 Relaxation effect
11.8 pH-dependent electrophoretic mobility of a gel particle
11.9 Electrophoresis of a gel particle in a polymer gel medium

PART FOUR INTERFACE AND ASSEMBLY

12 Microgel Assembly: From Bulk Phases to Interfaces
12.1 Introduction
12.2 Microgel Assembly in Bulk Phases
12.3 Microgel Assembly at Interfaces
12.4 Influencing Factors of Microgel Assembly at Oil?Water Interfaces
12.5 Microgel Assembly for Stabilizing Biphasic Systems
12.6 Applications of Microgel Assembly at the Interface
12.7 Conclusions and Perspectives

13 Micro/Nano gels at fluid interfaces: single-particle properties and collective behavior
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Single-particle conformation
13.3 Microgel monolayers
13.4 Applications
13.5 Summary and perspective

14 Interfacial behavior of microgels revealed via direct visualization at fluid interfaces
14.1 Introduction
14.2 Formation of a microgel-based thin film via adsorption at the air?water interface
14.3 Deformation of microgels upon adsorption at the air?water interface
14.4 Adsorption behavior of microgels at the air?water interface during evaporation of a sessile droplet
14.5 Development of self-organization behavior of precisely designed microgels at the air?water interface
14.6 Emulsion and foams stabilized by PS nanocomposite microgels
14.7 Investigation of the compression behavior of microgels using fluorescence microscopy
14.8 Outlook

15 Microgels at interfaces: from model interfaces to the stabilization of dispersed systems
15.1 Microgels at model interfaces
15.2 Dispersed systems stabilized by microgels
15.3 Generalization to other systems and applications

PART FIVE APPLICATIONS

16 Microgels for Biomedical Applications
16.1 Introduction
16.2 Microgels: Vehicles for Drug Delivery
16.3 Microgels Based Therapeutics for Hemostatic and Wound Healing Applications
16.4 Microgel-Based Assemblies for Regenerative Medicine Applications
16.5 Conclusions and Outlook

17 Polymer-Based Systems for Controlled Drug Delivery
17.1 Introduction
17.2 Polymers in Drug Delivery
17.3 Forms of Polymer-Based Drug Delivery Systems
17.4 Conclusions

18 Self-assembled Polymer Nanoparticles from Amphiphilic Copolymers with Different Macromolecular Architectures
18.1 Introduction
18.2 Self-assembly Behavior of Amphiphilic Graft Copolymers
18.3 Self-assembly Behavior of Amphiphilic Star Copolymers
18.4 Self-assembly Behavior of Amphiphilic Cyclic Copolymers
18.5 Conclusions

19 Engineering Microgels and Nanogels with Affinities for Target Molecules
19.1 Introduction
19.2 Development of Micro and Nanogels with an Affinity for Specific Biomolecules: Plastic Antibodies
19.3 Micro and Nano Gels for CO2 Capture
19.4 Conclusions
19.5 Perspectives

20 Design and Applications of Stimuli-Responsive Micro/nanogels
20.1 Introduction
20.2 Methods for preparing stimuli-responsive micro/nanogels
20.3 Stimuli-responsive micro/nanogels for drug delivery
20.4 Molecularly stimuli-responsive microgels
20.5 Stimuli-responsive microgels for cell regulation
20.6 Responsive microgels with controllable catalytic activity

21 Biomedical application of gel materials based on self-assembled nanogels
21.1 Introduction
21.2 Physically Cross-Linked Nanogels: Self-Assembling Nanogels
21.3 Protein Encapsulation and Artificial Molecular Chaperone Function of Hydrophobized Polysaccharide Nanogels
21.4 Application of Hydrophobized Polysaccharide Nanogels as Vaccine Nanocarriers
21.5 Nanogel Tectonics Materials and Applications in Regenerative Medicine
21.6 Nanogel Hybrid Materials
21.7 Conclusion

22 Electroactive Microgel Systems
22.1 Introduction
22.2 Preparation of Electroactive Microgel Systems
22.3 Behavior of Electroactive Microgel Systems
22.4 Discussion and Conclusion