Gas Aided Imaging Using Amphiphilic Block Copolymers
Researchers at Purdue University have investigated the thermal degradation of a PPC-based amphiphilic block copolymer and found that these triblock copolymers form stable small-sized (less than 200 nm) micelles in water. They have also demonstrated that the CO2-generation temperature of PPC can be reduced to between 40 and 80 degrees C in aqueous environments by using a photoacid generator (PAG) as the catalyst for activating the random scission reaction of PPC. Therefore, using micelles and the PAG, the CO2 bubbles can be generated within a target tissue in vivo by delivering the polymer as micelles; the gas is produced by hydrolysis of the polymer precursor in mild heating conditions (less than 80 degrees C). This approach avoids limitations of previous approaches and allows enhanced imaging techniques.
Bubbles generated in target tissueEnhanced imaging
Ultrasound devices industryBiomedical technology
You-Yeon WonPurdue Chemical Engineering
United States
None
USA
