TY - CHAP ID - 10442/18122 A1 - Skandalis, A. A1 - A1 - Chrysostomou, V. A1 - A1 - Sentoukas, T. A1 - A1 - Kafetzi, M. A1 - A1 - Giaouzi, D. A1 - A1 - Chroni, A. A1 - A1 - Vlassi, E. A1 - A1 - Papagiannopoulos, A. A1 - A1 - Pispas, S. Y1 - 2020/// T1 - Dynamic light scattering studies on self-assembling block copolymer nanostructures JF - Research Advances in Dynamic Light Scattering VL - 4 SN - 978-1-53617-260-7 PB - Nova Science Publishers, Inc. SP - 101–140EP - UR - https://hdl.handle.net/10442/18122 N2 - During the last four decades dynamic light scattering (DLS) has been an invaluable tool for the investigation of polymers and their assemblies in solutions. DLS is a very sensitive technique in extracting the size distributions in dispersions of polymeric nanoparticles and evaluating their stability (Hickey 2015), detecting the formation of macromolecular complexes (Cooper 2005) and characterizing the thermal response in protein-loaded block-polyelectrolyte nanoparticles (Papagiannopoulos et al. 2016). These capabilities establish DLS as a standard tool for studies in aqueous media that are related to interactions and associations in synthetic and hybrid synthetic/biological macromolecular systems as well as in drug/polymer and surfactant/polymer systems. In this chapter we will demonstrate the advances of DLS in characterizing self-assembling and stimuli-responsive diblock copolymers in aqueous media and their association with low molecular weight drugs, amphiphiles and biomacromolecules. We will present detailed DLS results from amphiphilic diblock polyelectrolytes and thermoresponsive diblock copolymers. The effect of external triggers (ionic strength, pH and temperature) on the size and aggregation of the macromolecular solutions and on their interaction with biological components will be demonstrated. The chapter will also include an introduction to the basic principles of DLS and a description of established data analysis procedures. The presented work will be a useful reference for the capabilities of DLS in characterizing solutions and a guide for advanced studies on the self-assembly of complex hybrid nanocarriers of insoluble drugs and proteins. ER -