Formation of intermicellar-chained and cylindrical micellar networks from an amphiphilic rod-coil block copolymer: poly(n-hexyl isocyanate)-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine)

Haeng-Deog Koh; Mohammad Changez; M Shahinur Rahman; Jae-Suk Lee

doi:10.1021/la900641b

Formation of intermicellar-chained and cylindrical micellar networks from an amphiphilic rod-coil block copolymer: poly(n-hexyl isocyanate)-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine)

Langmuir. 2009 Jul 7;25(13):7188-92. doi: 10.1021/la900641b.

Authors

Haeng-Deog Koh¹, Mohammad Changez, M Shahinur Rahman, Jae-Suk Lee

Affiliation

¹ Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju, Korea.

PMID: 19507816
DOI: 10.1021/la900641b

Abstract

Morphologies of the poly(n-hexyl isocyanate)-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PHIC-b-P2VP, fP2VP=0.3) amphiphilic rod-coil block copolymer were studied in rod-selective chloroform (CHCl3), both-block-soluble tetrahydrofuran (THF), and CHCl3/THF mixed solvent systems. Spherical, solid micelles with a P2VP core and PHIC shell were formed in CHCl3, whereas a microphase-separated liquid crystalline morphology was prominent in the presence of THF. In the CHCl3/THF mixed solvent system, a unique long-range intermicellar-chained network (v/v=7/3) and a more evolved cylindrical micellar network (v/v=3/7) were remarkably formed, respectively. PHIC-b-P2VP network nanostructures were used as a template for the in situ synthesis of Au nanoparticles (8 nm) selectively within the functional P2VP core domains.