A self-diffusion study in aqueous solution and lyotropic mesophases of amphiphilic block copolymers

 Water-soluble poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(propylene oxide)–poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO–PPO–PPO) triblock copolymers are high-molecular-weight nonionic copolymers and form micellar solutions and liquid-crystalline mesophases in water. We studied the temperature dependence of polymer and water self-diffusion in solutions and lyotropic mesophases of the PEO₁₃ PPO₃₀ PEO₁₃/water and PEO₂₁ PPO₄₇ PEO₂₁/water binary systems. The self-diffusion measurements were performed by means of the pulsed field gradient spin-echo NMR method. The analysis of the water mobility was realised using “the obstruction factor” and “the two-site model”, which consider the reduction of the water self-diffusion due to the microstructure of the lyotropic aggregates and to the presence of one part of the solvent bound to the polymer aggregate surfaces. We calculated the water obstruction factors and the hydration numbers as a function both of the polymer composition and of the temperature. The results are compared with the data obtained in mesophases formed by classical surfactants. Received: 16 September 1999 Accepted in revised form: 24 November 1999