Polyampholytes

Last updated

Polyampholytes are polymers that contain both positively charged (cationic) and negatively charged (anionic) functional groups within the same molecule. Their unique structure allows them to exhibit amphoteric behavior, meaning they can interact with a range of substances depending on the surrounding pH, making them useful in applications like drug delivery, water treatment, and biomaterials. [1]

Polyampholytes can exist as either linear water-soluble polyelectrolytes or as cross-linked structures. Weakly cross-linked polyampholytes swell in water, forming hydrogels. The swelling properties of these hydrogels are highly dependent on the solution pH and its relation to the polyampholyte’s isoelectric point.

The isoelectric point of polyampholytes is the pH at which the polymer exhibits no net charge, balancing its positive and negative charges. This point is important because it dictates the net charge of polyampholyte macromolecules at different pH levels. At a pH less than the isoelectric point, the macromolecules carry a positive charge, while at a pH greater than the isoelectric point, they acquire a negative charge. At pH equal to the isoelectric point, polyampholytes are neutral. Under these conditions, they may show minimal viscosity in solutions or lose solubility and precipitate. [2]

Proteins are a class of natural polyampholytes, as they contain both positively and negatively charged amino acid residues within their structure. These charges are influenced by the pH of the surrounding environment, which determines the overall charge of the protein. The presence of both acidic (anionic) and basic (cationic) residues allows proteins to interact with various charged species, making them versatile in biological processes.

Gelatin is a well-known example of a protein-derived polyampholyte. It is derived from collagen, a structural protein found in connective tissues, and contains both acidic (anionic) and basic (cationic) amino acid residues, making it capable of exhibiting amphoteric behavior. The unique combination of these charges allows gelatin to interact with a variety of substances, depending on the pH of the surrounding environment.

Applications

Synthetic polyampholytes have a range of potential applications. [3] They can adhere to mucosal surfaces, enhance drug retention and improve bioavailability by adjusting their charge at specific pH's. [4] In water treatment, polyampholytes act as flocculants. [5] In biomaterials, they are utilized in tissue engineering, wound dressings, and as scaffolds for cell growth, taking advantage of their biocompatibility and adjustable charge properties. Furthermore, polyampholytes serve as cryoprotectants in cryopreservation, stabilizing biological samples like cells and tissues during freezing by preventing ice crystal formation and reducing cellular damage. [6] Polyampholytes are potential stealth coatings, creating anti-fouling surfaces that resist biofilm formation. [7]

Related Research Articles

The isoelectric point (pI, pH(I), IEP), is the pH at which a molecule carries no net electrical charge or is electrically neutral in the statistical mean. The standard nomenclature to represent the isoelectric point is pH(I). However, pI is also used. For brevity, this article uses pI. The net charge on the molecule is affected by pH of its surrounding environment and can become more positively or negatively charged due to the gain or loss, respectively, of protons (H+).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis</span> Analytical technique

Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) is a technique widely used in biochemistry, forensic chemistry, genetics, molecular biology and biotechnology to separate biological macromolecules, usually proteins or nucleic acids, according to their electrophoretic mobility. Electrophoretic mobility is a function of the length, conformation, and charge of the molecule. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is a powerful tool used to analyze RNA samples. When polyacrylamide gel is denatured after electrophoresis, it provides information on the sample composition of the RNA species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Surfactant</span> Substance that lowers the surface tension between a liquid and another material

Surfactants are chemical compounds that decrease the surface tension or interfacial tension between two liquids, a liquid and a gas, or a liquid and a solid. The word "surfactant" is a blend of surface-active agent, coined in 1950. As they consist of a water-repellent and a water-attracting part, they enable water and oil to mix; they can form foam and facilitate the detachment of dirt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hydrogel</span> Soft water-rich polymer gel

A hydrogel is a biphasic material, a mixture of porous and permeable solids and at least 10% of water or other interstitial fluid. The solid phase is a water insoluble three dimensional network of polymers, having absorbed a large amount of water or biological fluids. Hydrogels have several applications, especially in the biomedical area, such as in hydrogel dressing. Many hydrogels are synthetic, but some are derived from natural materials. The term "hydrogel" was coined in 1894.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hair conditioner</span> Hair care product

Hair conditioner is a hair care cosmetic product used to improve the feel, texture, appearance and manageability of hair. Its main purpose is to reduce friction between strands of hair to allow smoother brushing or combing, which might otherwise cause damage to the scalp. Various other benefits are often advertised, such as hair repair, strengthening, or a reduction in split ends.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isoelectric focusing</span> Type of electrophoresis

Isoelectric focusing (IEF), also known as electrofocusing, is a technique for separating different molecules by differences in their isoelectric point (pI). It is a type of zone electrophoresis usually performed on proteins in a gel that takes advantage of the fact that overall charge on the molecule of interest is a function of the pH of its surroundings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polyelectrolyte</span> Polymers whose repeating units bear an electrolyte group

Polyelectrolytes are polymers whose repeating units bear an electrolyte group. Polycations and polyanions are polyelectrolytes. These groups dissociate in aqueous solutions (water), making the polymers charged. Polyelectrolyte properties are thus similar to both electrolytes (salts) and polymers and are sometimes called polysalts. Like salts, their solutions are electrically conductive. Like polymers, their solutions are often viscous. Charged molecular chains, commonly present in soft matter systems, play a fundamental role in determining structure, stability and the interactions of various molecular assemblies. Theoretical approaches to describe their statistical properties differ profoundly from those of their electrically neutral counterparts, while technological and industrial fields exploit their unique properties. Many biological molecules are polyelectrolytes. For instance, polypeptides, glycosaminoglycans, and DNA are polyelectrolytes. Both natural and synthetic polyelectrolytes are used in a variety of industries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flocculation</span> Process by which colloidal particles come out of suspension to precipitate as floc or flake

In colloidal chemistry, flocculation is a process by which colloidal particles come out of suspension to sediment in the form of floc or flake, either spontaneously or due to the addition of a clarifying agent. The action differs from precipitation in that, prior to flocculation, colloids are merely suspended, under the form of a stable dispersion and are not truly dissolved in solution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ion chromatography</span> Separates ions and polar molecules

Ion chromatography is a form of chromatography that separates ions and ionizable polar molecules based on their affinity to the ion exchanger. It works on almost any kind of charged molecule—including small inorganic anions, large proteins, small nucleotides, and amino acids. However, ion chromatography must be done in conditions that are one pH unit away from the isoelectric point of a protein.

A fabric softener or fabric conditioner is a conditioner applied to laundry after it has been washed in a washing machine. A similar, more dilute preparation meant to be applied to dry fabric is known as a wrinkle releaser.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Particle aggregation</span> Clumping of particles in suspension

Particle agglomeration refers to the formation of assemblages in a suspension and represents a mechanism leading to the functional destabilization of colloidal systems. During this process, particles dispersed in the liquid phase stick to each other, and spontaneously form irregular particle assemblages, flocs, or agglomerates. This phenomenon is also referred to as coagulation or flocculation and such a suspension is also called unstable. Particle agglomeration can be induced by adding salts or other chemicals referred to as coagulant or flocculant.

Protein precipitation is widely used in downstream processing of biological products in order to concentrate proteins and purify them from various contaminants. For example, in the biotechnology industry protein precipitation is used to eliminate contaminants commonly contained in blood. The underlying mechanism of precipitation is to alter the solvation potential of the solvent, more specifically, by lowering the solubility of the solute by addition of a reagent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foreign body reaction</span> Bodily response to the presence of a foreign object

A foreign body reaction (FBR) is a typical tissue response to a foreign body within biological tissue. It usually includes the formation of a foreign body granuloma. Tissue encapsulation of an implant is an example, as is inflammation around a splinter. Foreign body granuloma formation consists of protein adsorption, macrophages, multinucleated foreign body giant cells, fibroblasts, and angiogenesis. It has also been proposed that the mechanical property of the interface between an implant and its surrounding tissues is critical for the host response.

pH sensitive or pH responsive polymers are materials which will respond to the changes in the pH of the surrounding medium by varying their dimensions. Materials may swell, collapse, or change depending on the pH of their environment. This behavior is exhibited due to the presence of certain functional groups in the polymer chain. pH-sensitive materials can be either acidic or basic, responding to either basic or acidic pH values. These polymers can be designed with many different architectures for different applications. Key uses of pH sensitive polymers are controlled drug delivery systems, biomimetics, micromechanical systems, separation processes, and surface functionalization.

A nanogel is a polymer-based, crosslinked hydrogel particle on the sub-micron scale. These complex networks of polymers present a unique opportunity in the field of drug delivery at the intersection of nanoparticles and hydrogel synthesis. Nanogels can be natural, synthetic, or a combination of the two and have a high degree of tunability in terms of their size, shape, surface functionalization, and degradation mechanisms. Given these inherent characteristics in addition to their biocompatibility and capacity to encapsulate small drugs and molecules, nanogels are a promising strategy to treat disease and dysfunction by serving as delivery vehicles capable of navigating across challenging physiological barriers within the body. 

Polymers with the ability to kill or inhibit the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, or viruses are classified as antimicrobial agents. This class of polymers consists of natural polymers with inherent antimicrobial activity and polymers modified to exhibit antimicrobial activity. Polymers are generally nonvolatile, chemically stable, and can be chemically and physically modified to display desired characteristics and antimicrobial activity. Antimicrobial polymers are a prime candidate for use in the food industry to prevent bacterial contamination and in water sanitation to inhibit the growth of microorganisms in drinking water.

Polyelectrolytes are charged polymers capable of stabilizing colloidal emulsions through electrostatic interactions. Their effectiveness can be dependent on molecular weight, pH, solvent polarity, ionic strength, and the hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB). Stabilized emulsions are useful in many industrial processes, including deflocculation, drug delivery, petroleum waste treatment, and food technology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polyaspartic acid</span> Chemical compound

Polyaspartic acid (PASA) is a biodegradable, water-soluble condensation polymer based on the amino acid aspartic acid. It is a biodegradable replacement for water softeners and related applications. PASA can be chemically crosslinked with a wide variety of methods to yield PASA hydrogels. The resulting hydrogels are pH-sensitive such that under acidic conditions, they shrink, while the swelling capacity increases under alkaline conditions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Titanate nanosheet</span> Titanium based nanomaterial

Titanate (IV) nanosheets (TiNSs) have a 2D structure where TiO6 octahedra are edge-linked in a lepidocrocite-type 2D lattice with chemical formula HxTi2x/4x/4O4 ⦁ H2O (x~0.7; ☐, vacancy). Titanate nanosheets may be regarded as sheets with molecular thickness and infinite planar dimensions. TiNSs are typically formed via liquid-phase exfoliation of protonic titanate. In inorganic layered materials, individual layers are bound to each other by van der Waals interactions if they are neutral, and additional Coulomb interactions if they are composed of oppositely charged layers. Through liquid-phase exfoliation, these individual sheets of layered materials can be efficiently separated using an appropriate solvent, creating single-layer colloidal suspensions. Solvents must have an interaction energy with the layers that is greater than the interaction energy between two layers. In situ X-Ray diffraction data indicates that TiNSs can be treated as macromolecules with a sufficient amount of solvent in between layers so that they behave as individual sheets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coagulation (water treatment)</span> In water treatment, the addition of compounds that promote clumping

In water treatment, coagulation and flocculation involve the addition of compounds that promote the clumping of fine floc into larger floc so that they can be more easily separated from the water. Coagulation is a chemical process that involves neutralization of charge whereas flocculation is a physical process and does not involve neutralization of charge. The coagulation-flocculation process can be used as a preliminary or intermediary step between other water or wastewater treatment processes like filtration and sedimentation. Iron and aluminium salts are the most widely used coagulants but salts of other metals such as titanium and zirconium have been found to be highly effective as well.

References

  1. "Polyampholytes in Advanced Polymer Science and Emerging Technologies". Routledge & CRC Press. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
  2. Kudaibergenov, Sarkyt E. (2021). "Synthetic and natural polyampholytes: Structural and behavioral similarity". Polymers for Advanced Technologies. 32 (3): 906–918. doi:10.1002/pat.5145. ISSN   1099-1581.
  3. Kudaibergenov, Sarkyt E. (2022-01-01). "Application of polyampholytes in emerging technologies". Materials Today: Proceedings. The 1st International Symposium on Emerging Materials and Devices. 71: 31–37. doi:10.1016/j.matpr.2022.07.187. ISSN   2214-7853.
  4. Fu, Manfei; Filippov, Sergey K.; Williams, Adrian C.; Khutoryanskiy, Vitaliy V. (2024-04-01). "On the mucoadhesive properties of synthetic and natural polyampholytes". Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. 659: 849–858. Bibcode:2024JCIS..659..849F. doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2023.12.176. ISSN   0021-9797. PMID   38218088.
  5. Morrissey, Kathryn L.; Keirn, Max I.; Inaba, Yuta; Denham, Annika J.; Henry, Graham J.; Vogler, Brian W.; Posewitz, Matthew C.; Stoykovich, Mark P. (2015-09-01). "Recyclable polyampholyte flocculants for the cost-effective dewatering of microalgae and cyanobacteria". Algal Research. 11: 304–312. Bibcode:2015AlgRe..11..304M. doi:10.1016/j.algal.2015.07.009. ISSN   2211-9264.
  6. Stubbs, Christopher; Bailey, Trisha L.; Murray, Kathryn; Gibson, Matthew I. (2020-01-13). "Polyampholytes as Emerging Macromolecular Cryoprotectants". Biomacromolecules. 21 (1): 7–17. doi:10.1021/acs.biomac.9b01053. ISSN   1525-7797. PMC   6960013 . PMID   31418266.
  7. Zhang, Wei; Yang, Zhe; Kaufman, Yair; Bernstein, Roy (2018-05-01). "Surface and anti-fouling properties of a polyampholyte hydrogel grafted onto a polyethersulfone membrane". Journal of Colloid and Interface Science. 517: 155–165. Bibcode:2018JCIS..517..155Z. doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2018.01.106. ISSN   0021-9797. PMID   29421675.