Non-Ionic Fluorosurfactants for Droplet-Based in vivo Applications
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
Fluorocarbon oils are uniquely suited for many biomedical applications due to their inert, bioorthogonal properties. In order to interface fluorocarbon oils with biological systems, non-ionic fluorosurfactants are necessary. However, there is a paucity of non-ionic fluorosurfactants with low interfacial tension (IFT) to stabilize fluorocarbon phases in aqueous environments (such as oil-in-water emulsions). We developed non-ionic fluorosurfactants composed of a polyethylene glycol (PEG) segment covalently bonded to a flexible perfluoropolyether (PFPE) segment that confer low IFTs between a fluorocarbon oil (HFE-7700) and water. The synthesis of a panel of surfactants spanning a molecular weight range of 0.64–66 kDa with various hydrophilic-lipophilic balances allowed for identification of minimal IFTs, ranging from 1.4 to 17.8 mN m−1. The majority of these custom fluorosurfactants display poor solubility in water, allowing their co-introduction with fluorocarbon oils and minimal leaching. We applied the PEG5PFPE1 surfactant for mechanical force measurements in zebrafish, enabling exceptional sensitivity.
Details
Original language | English |
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Article number | e202404956 |
Journal | Angewandte Chemie - International Edition |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 27 Sept 2024 |
Peer-reviewed | Yes |
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Keywords
- fluorosurfactant, in vivo force sensing, microdroplets, perfluoropolyether, surfactant