Volume 24, Issue 33 p. 5194-5201
Full Paper

From Membrane to Skin: Aqueous Permeation Control Through Light-Responsive Amphiphilic Polymer Co-Networks

Katrin Schöller,

Corresponding Author

Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland

E-mail: katrin.schoeller@empa.ch, Lukas.Scherer@empa.chSearch for more papers by this author
Sabrina Küpfer,

Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland

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Lukas Baumann,

Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland

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Patrick M. Hoyer,

Division of Neonatology, University Hospital Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland

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Damien de Courten,

Division of Neonatology, University Hospital Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland

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René M. Rossi,

Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland

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Aliaksei Vetushka,

Laboratory for Joining Technologies & Corrosion, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Überlandstrasse 129, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland

Laboratory of Nanostructures and Nanomaterials, Institute of Physics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Cukrovarnicka 10, 162 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic

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Martin Wolf,

Division of Neonatology, University Hospital Zurich, Frauenklinikstrasse 10, 8091 Zürich, Switzerland

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Nico Bruns,

Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Rte de l'Ancienne Papeterie, CP209, 1723 Marly, Switzerland

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Lukas J. Scherer,

Corresponding Author

Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Lerchenfeldstrasse 5, 9014 St. Gallen, Switzerland

E-mail: katrin.schoeller@empa.ch, Lukas.Scherer@empa.chSearch for more papers by this author
First published: 30 May 2014
Citations: 42

Abstract

The functionalization of amphiphilic polymer co-networks with light-responsive spiropyran and spirooxazine derivatives leads to a new type of light-responsive materials. The material consisting of hydrophilic nanochannels shows desirable properties such as light-responsive permeability changes of aqueous caffeine solutions, an exceptional repeatability of the photochromism, and tunable basic permeability rates. The versatility of the system is demonstrated by using different functionalization routes such as copolymerization of light-responsive monomers or crosslinker as well as postmodification of the preformed amphiphilic network. Moreover, light-responsive spirobenzopyran and novel spirooxazine derivatives are synthesized, which changes the properties of the light-responsive membranes after inclusion into the amphiphilic co-networks. Finally, the permeability of the delivery membrane can be tailored to match the properties of porcine skin, an in vitro model of human neonatal skin. One possible application might be the use of the light-responsive membranes as key-unit of a transdermal caffeine-delivery system for preterm neonates.

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