Brush-type amphiphilic diblock copolymers from "living"/controlled radical polymerizations and their aggregation behavior

Langmuir. 2005 Aug 2;21(16):7180-5. doi: 10.1021/la051038y.

Abstract

Two brush-type amphiphilic diblock copolymers, poly(poly(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate-block-polystyrene) (P(PEGMA)-b-PS) and poly(glycidyl methacrylate)-block-poly(poly(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate) (P(GMA)-b-P(PEGMA)) were synthesized, respectively, via consecutive atom-transfer radical polymerizations (ATRPs) and reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerizations. The diblock copolymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and FT-IR spectroscopy. The aggregation behavior of the two amphiphilic diblock copolymers in water was also studied. Scanning electron and transmission electron microscopic images revealed that spherical micelles (40-80 nm in diameter) from self-assembly of the P(PEGMA)-b-PS copolymers and wormlike micelles (60-120 nm in length and 20-30 nm in diameter) from self-assembly of the P(GMA)-b-P(PEGMA) copolymers were prevalent. The spherical P(PEGMA)-b-PS micelles could self-assemble gradually into giant aggregates of several micrometers in diameter.

MeSH terms

  • Chromatography, Gel
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / methods
  • Micelles
  • Models, Chemical
  • Polymers / chemistry*
  • Spectrophotometry, Infrared
  • Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared / methods
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Micelles
  • Polymers