Description
General Description
PCL-PEG-SH is a biodegradable amphiphilic block copolymer designed for advanced drug delivery, bioconjugation, and nanomedicine applications. The hydrophobic poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) block readily self-assembles into polymeric micelles and nanoparticles capable of encapsulating hydrophobic therapeutics, while the hydrophilic polyethylene glycol (PEG) block improves aqueous solubility, colloidal stability, prolonged circulation, and biocompatibility.
The terminal thiol (-SH) group provides a highly reactive functionality for selective conjugation under mild conditions. It readily reacts with maleimide-, vinyl sulfone-, acrylate-, and pyridyl disulfide-containing molecules to form stable covalent linkages. The thiol group also exhibits a strong affinity for gold surfaces, making PCL-PEG-SH particularly valuable for preparing gold nanoparticles, biosensors, and surface-modified biomedical devices.
PCL-PEG-SH is extensively employed in targeted drug delivery, nanoparticle surface modification, peptide and antibody conjugation, hydrogel preparation, biosensor fabrication, and tissue engineering.
Applications
- Polymeric micelle preparation
- Nanoparticle fabrication
- Targeted drug delivery
- Thiol-selective bioconjugation
- Peptide conjugation
- Antibody conjugation
- Gold nanoparticle functionalization
- Hydrogel synthesis
- Surface modification
- Biomaterials research
Features and Benefits
- Amphiphilic PCL-PEG block copolymer
- Terminal thiol (-SH) functionality
- Highly reactive toward maleimides and vinyl sulfones
- Suitable for gold surface modification
- Biodegradable PCL segment
- Excellent aqueous dispersibility
- Excellent biocompatibility
- Research-grade quality
