EXPLORING THE FUNCTIONALITY OF GIANT POLYMER VESICLES AS REACTORS FOR ENZYMATIC REACTIONS

Polymer vesicles that mimic the function of cellular membranes can be obtained through the self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers. The cellular characteristics of polymer vesicles, including the selective permeability, make them suitable towards the manufacturing of artificial cells. Furthermore, they can be used to produce compartmentalized systems for enzymatic reactions (nano- and microreactors).^1-3 Taking these considerations into account, we are currently investigating the self-assembly of a variety of diblock copolymers with potential applications in this framework namely PEO₁₁₂-b-PCL₈₈, PEO₇₉-b-PMMA₁₉₃ and PEO₄₅-b-PLA₁₇₄ where PEO refers to poly(ethylene oxide), PCL to polycaprolactone, PMMA to poly(methyl methacrylate) and PLA to poly(lactic acid). Giant polymer vesicles were successfully fabricated using a simple double-emulsification approach.⁴ Microscopy images confirmed the formation of vesicles with a diameter of around 10 µm. Oxidation catalysis tests were conducted using encapsulated horseradish peroxidase with o-dianisidine dye and H₂O₂ as substrates. The formation of oxidized dye was observed in all cases, though at significantly slower rates compared to free enzyme. This suggests that the reaction occurs effectively within the vesicles, demonstrating their potential as microreactors for a variety of applications.