One major focus of antitumor drug delivery is the development of suitable carriers for therapeutic molecules. Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are promising magnetic drug carriers as they are biocompatible, biodegradable, readily tunable, superparamagnetic, and, thus, controllable by an external magnetic field. In this paper, we propose and demonstrate a bioinspired synthesis of polydopamine-functionalized superparamagnetic magnetite nanocrystal clusters for antitumor drug delivery. Firstly, an oil-phase evaporation-induced self-assembly strategy was introduced to fabricate magnetite nanocrystal clusters (MNCs), which have the advantage of increased magnetization through a synergistic effect. Secondly, the surface functionalization of the MNCs with polydopamine (PDOPA) was demonstrated. Thirdly, the antitumor drug epirubicin (EPB) was attached to the surface of MNC@PDOPA, and its applicability for use as a magnetically guided carrier for antitumor drug delivery was demonstrated. The achieved MNC@PDOPA exhibits superparamagnetic characteristics, improved magnetization behavior under an external magnetic field, well-controlled loading, and pH-responsive properties; therefore, the MNC@PDOPA is a promising nanomaterial for in vivo EPB delivery applications and tumor chemotherapy.

Exploration of new functionalization approaches to inert rigid fiber, activation inert surface, and enhancing interface adhesion is urgently required for fiber-based multiphase materials. In this paper, we developed a simple yet efficient method towards active functionalized poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) fiber through mussel-adhesive, self-polymerization, and successive dipping–drying procedure based on as-designed detachable equipment. In comparison with current acid etching and high energy radiation methods, the active functional strategy achieves scatheless functional modification to inert rigid fiber. Attribute to π–π conjugation effect, the new active nanolayers integrate rigid fiber and polymer matrix into homogeneous-like structure. Consequently, the functionalized fiber-based composites exhibit great mechanical property and desirable field-responsive ability. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43018.

The coupling of the magnetic, electric, and elastic properties in multiferroics creates new collective phenomena and enables next-generation device paradigms. In this work, the hydrogen bonding interaction between hydrate salts and ferroelectric polymers is exploited in the development of high-performance magnetoelectric (ME) polymer laminate composites. The microstructures and crystallite structures of the Al(NO₃)₃·9H₂O doped poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene), P(VDF-HFP), are carefully studied. The effect of hydrogen bonding interaction on the polarization ordering of the ferroelectric polymers is investigated by 2D wide-angle X-ray diffraction, polarized Fourier transform infrared spectra, and dielectric spectra at varied frequencies and temperatures. It is found that hydrogen bond not only promotes the formation of the polar crystallite phase but also improves the polarization ordering in the ferroelectric polymer, which subsequently increases the remnant polarization of the polymers as verified in the polarization-electric field loop measurements. These entail marked improvement in the ME voltage coefficients (α_ME) of the resulting polymer laminate composites based on ferromagnetic Metglas relative to analogous composites. The composite exhibits a state-of-the-art α_ME value of 20 V cm^-1 Oe under a dc magnetic field of ≈4 Oe and a colossal α_ME of 320 V cm^-1 Oe at a frequency of 68 kHz.