Polyanhydride Nanoparticles: Thiol–Ene ‘Click’ Polymerizations Provide Functionalized and Cross-Linkable Nanoparticles with Tuneable Degradation Times

Abstract

The production of degradable polyanhydride-based nanoparticles that exhibit tuneable degradation times using thiol–ene ‘click’ polymerizations is described. Linear polyanhydrides were used in the production of nanoparticles with diameters typically in the range of 250–400 nm using the emulsion–solvent evaporation method. A variety of reaction parameters, including polymer composition, surfactant species and concentration, sonication amplitude and duration, and reaction medium, were investigated to examine their impact on particle size. Also demonstrated are the potential to incorporate diverse functionality in the polymer network, the ability to load nanoparticles with a payload as exemplified by a model dye compound, and how the introduction of cross-linking into the polymer network extends degradation profiles, thereby allowing for tuneable degradation timeframes, which range from ~1 day to 14 days.