Self-assembly of macromolecules with ligands is an intricate dynamic process that depends on a wide variety of parameters and forms the basis of many essential biological processes. We elucidate the underlying energetic processes of self-assembly in a model system consisting of amphiphilic core-shell polymers interacting with paramagnetic, amphiphilic ligand molecules from temperature-dependent continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance (CW EPR) spectroscopy subsequent to spectral simulation. The involved processes as observed from the ligands' point of view are either based on temperature-dependent association constants (KA,j,k) or dynamic rotational regime interconversion (IC) constants (KIC,j,k). The interconversion process describes a transition from Brownian (b₁) towards free (b₂) diffusion of ligand. Both processes exhibit non-linear van't Hoff (lnK vs. T-1) plots in the temperature range of liquid water and we retrieve decisive dynamic information of the system from the energetic fingerprints of ligands on the nanoscale, especially from the temperature-dependent interconversion heat capacity (∆C°P,IC).
Keywords: ESR/EPR spectroscopy; amphiphilic polymers; binding thermodynamics; core-shell polymers; ligand binding.