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Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5415-2654
AccessType
Open Access Dissertation
Document Type
dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Degree Program
Polymer Science and Engineering
Year Degree Awarded
2022
Month Degree Awarded
September
First Advisor
Murugappan Muthukumar
Subject Categories
Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering | Bioelectrical and Neuroengineering | Biological Engineering | Biology and Biomimetic Materials | Biomaterials | Biomedical | Biotechnology | Chemical and Pharmacologic Phenomena | Complex Fluids | Complex Mixtures | Condensed Matter Physics | Digestive, Oral, and Skin Physiology | Dynamics and Dynamical Systems | Electrical and Electronics | Macromolecular Substances | Materials Chemistry | Medical Biotechnology | Medical Pharmacology | Medicinal-Pharmaceutical Chemistry | Nanomedicine | Nanotechnology Fabrication | Pharmaceutical Preparations | Pharmaceutics and Drug Design | Physical Chemistry | Physiological Processes | Polymer and Organic Materials | Polymer Chemistry | Polymer Science | Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics | Systems and Integrative Physiology | Therapeutics | Thermodynamics
Abstract
The self-assembly of charged macromolecules forms the basis of all life on earth. From the synthesis and replication of nucleic acids, to the association of DNA to chromatin, to the targeting of RNA to various cellular compartments, to the astonishingly consistent folding of proteins, all life depends on the physics of the organization and dynamics of charged polymers. In this dissertation, I address several of the newest challenges in the assembly of these types of materials. First, I describe the exciting new physics of the complexation between polyzwitterions and polyelectrolytes. These materials open new questions and possibilities within the context of drug packaging and delivery, a selection of which are addressed in the second chapter. In the third chapter, fundamental questions about the chemical characteristics that influence the phase separation of polyzwitterions and polyelectrolytes are explored systematically. Finally, in the fourth chapter, the phenomenon of coacervation is harnessed in the electrochemical context, and several types of measurements of these properties are described in detail. This work represents the current state-of-the-art in the field of charged systems, and future work to create technologies (in the biomedical context, in particular) can all apply the fundamental results illuminated herein.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.7275/30763564
Recommended Citation
Margossian, Khatcher O., "Frontiers in the Self-Assembly of Charged Macromolecules" (2022). Doctoral Dissertations. 2663.
https://doi.org/10.7275/30763564
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations_2/2663
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Included in
Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering Commons, Bioelectrical and Neuroengineering Commons, Biological Engineering Commons, Biology and Biomimetic Materials Commons, Biomaterials Commons, Biomedical Commons, Biotechnology Commons, Chemical and Pharmacologic Phenomena Commons, Complex Fluids Commons, Complex Mixtures Commons, Condensed Matter Physics Commons, Digestive, Oral, and Skin Physiology Commons, Dynamics and Dynamical Systems Commons, Electrical and Electronics Commons, Macromolecular Substances Commons, Materials Chemistry Commons, Medical Biotechnology Commons, Medical Pharmacology Commons, Medicinal-Pharmaceutical Chemistry Commons, Nanomedicine Commons, Nanotechnology Fabrication Commons, Pharmaceutical Preparations Commons, Pharmaceutics and Drug Design Commons, Physical Chemistry Commons, Physiological Processes Commons, Polymer and Organic Materials Commons, Polymer Chemistry Commons, Polymer Science Commons, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics Commons, Systems and Integrative Physiology Commons, Therapeutics Commons, Thermodynamics Commons