Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Development Of Biodegradable And Stimuli-Responsive Macromolescules And Their Assemblies, Ali Nazemi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Polymersomes are potentially multifunctional soft materials constructed by the self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers in aqueous medium. While much research has focused on controlling the assembly and encapsulation properties of polymersomes, their surface functionalization has been relatively unexplored. This is important because it plays a critical role in determining their properties such as toxicity and biodistribution behavior. The work described in this thesis involves the development of a biocompatible and biodegradable polymersome systems based on poly(ethylene oxide)-b-polycaprolactone (PEO-PCL) block copolymers with azide surface groups as a novel scaffold for various biomedical applications. The surface functionalization of these polymersomes …