Monitoring the Erosion of Hydrolytically-Degradable Nanogels via Multiangle Light Scattering Coupled to Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation

We describe the synthesis and characterization of degradable nanogels that display bulk erosion under physiologic conditions (pH = 7.4, 37 °C). Erodible poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) nanogels were synthesized by copolymerization with N,O-(dimethacryloyl) hydroxylamine, a cross-linker previously used in the preparation of nontoxic and biodegradable bulk hydrogels. To monitor particle degradation, we employed multiangle light scattering and differential refractometry detection following asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation. This approach allowed the detection of changes in nanogel molar mass and topology as a function of both temperature and pH. Particle erosion was evident from both an increase in nanogel swelling and a decrease in scattering intensity as a function of time. Following these analyses, the samples were recovered for subsequent characterization by direct particle tracking, which yields hydrodynamic size measurements and enables number density determination. Additionally, we confirmed ...