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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Patrick Higgs, Dr David Fulton
This is the authors' accepted manuscript of an article that has been published in its final definitive form by John Wiley and Sons Inc., 2021.
For re-use rights please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.
© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH. There is growing interest in developing methods to ‘wrap’ nano- and micron-sized biological objects within films that may offer protection, enhance their stability or improve performance. We describe the successful ‘wrapping’ of lectin-decorated microspheres, which serve as appealing model micron-sized objects, within cross-linked polymer film. This approach utilizes polymer chains able to undergo a structural metamorphosis, from being intramolecularly cross-linked to intermolecularly cross-linked, a process that is triggered by polymer concentration upon the particle surface. Experiments demonstrate that both complementary molecular recognition and the dynamic covalent nature of the crosslinker are required for successful ‘wrapping’ to occur. This work is significant as it suggests that nano- and micron-sized biological objects such as virus-like particles, bacteria or mammalian cells—all of which may benefit from additional environmental protection or stabilization in emerging applications—may also be ‘wrapped’ by this approach.
Author(s): Higgs PL, Appleton JL, Turnbull WB, Fulton DA
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Chemistry - A European Journal
Year: 2021
Volume: 27
Issue: 70
Pages: 17647-17654
Print publication date: 15/12/2021
Online publication date: 19/10/2021
Acceptance date: 19/10/2021
Date deposited: 20/12/2021
ISSN (print): 0947-6539
ISSN (electronic): 1521-3765
Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Inc.
URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/chem.202103216
DOI: 10.1002/chem.202103216
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