Sphere-to-rod transition of non-surface-active amphiphilic diblock copolymer micelles: a small-angle neutron scattering study

Micellization behavior of amphiphilic diblock copolymers with strong acid groups, poly(hydrogenated isoprene)-block-poly(styrenesulfonate), was investigated by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). We have reported previously (Kaewsaiha, P.; Matsumoto, K.; Matsuoka, H. Langmuir 2005, 21, 9938) that this strongly ionic amphiphilic diblock copolymer shows almost no surface activity but forms micelles in water. In this study, the size, shape, and internal structures of the micelles formed by these unique copolymers in aqueous solution were duly investigated. The SANS data were well described by the theoretical form factor of a core-shell model and the Pedersen core-corona model. The micellar shape strongly depends on the hydrophobic chain length of the block copolymer. The polymer with the shortest hydrophobic chain was suggested to form spherical micelles, whereas the scattering curves of the longer hydrophobic chain polymers showed a q-1 dependence, reflecting the formation of rodlike micelles. Furthermore, the addition of salt at high concentration also induced the sphere-to-rod transition in micellar shape as a result of the shielding effect of electrostatic repulsion. The corona thickness was almost constant up to the critical salt concentration (around 0.2 M) and then decreased with further increases in salt concentration, which is in qualitatively agreement with existing theories. The spherical/rodlike micelle ratio was also constant up to the critical salt concentration and then decreased. The micelle size and shape of this unique polymer could be described by the common concept of the packing parameter, but the anomalously stable nature of the micelle (up to 1 M NaCl) is a special characteristic.     

pH-responsive nanoaggregation of diblock phosphorylcholine copolymers

We have characterized three diblock copolymers bearing zwitterionic phosphorylcholine and weak tertiary amine groups, namely, poly[((2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl)phosphorylcholine)30- block-(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)60] (denoted as MPC30-DMA60, Mn=18,000), poly[((2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl)phosphorylcholine)30- block-(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)60) (denoted as MPC30-DEA60, Mn=20,000), and poly[((2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl)phosphorylcholine)30- block-(2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate)60) (denoted as MPC30-DPA60, Mn=21,000), by studying their surface tension and solution aggregation through a combined approach of surface tension measurement, dynamic light scattering, and small-angle neutron scattering. Our results show that larger tertiary amine substituents lead to an increasing tendency to form micellar aggregates, which is consistent with the increasing copolymer hydrophobicity. Thus, MPC30-DMA60 did not aggregate under the experimental conditions studied. The free chains exist in the form of thin cylinders, whose length decreases with copolymer concentration and solution temperature but increases with solution pH. The diameters of the MPC30-DMA60 cylinders remained almost constant at around 30 A under all the conditions studied. At the lower copolymer concentration of 0.5 wt %, the cylindrical lengths correspond to the persistence length of the copolymer backbone and are close to its full length, indicating a rather high rigidity. Further data analysis showed that, at the two higher concentrations of 2 and 4 wt %, the phosphorylcholine and amine blocks associate, inducing bending of the copolymer backbone. One backbone kink was required to satisfy all the constraints, including the dry volume of the copolymer. MPC30-DEA60 showed a similar trend of pH- and concentration-dependent conformational responses for the free copolymer, but in addition micellar aggregation occurred at pH 9. In contrast, MPC30-DPA60 exhibited significantly reduced solubility associated with strong aggregation, which is consistent with it being the most hydrophobic copolymer in the series.     

Nucleo-copolymers: oligonucleotide-based amphiphilic diblock copolymers

For the first time, poly(butadiene) has been covalently linked to an oligonucleotide sequence and the resulting nucleo-copolymer exhibits amphiphilic properties in dilute aqueous solution, self-assembling into nanometer-sized vesicular structures.     

Synthesis of pH-responsive amphiphilic diblock copolymers containing polyisobutylene via oxyanion-initiated polymerization and their multiple self-assembly morphologies

 Two pH-responsive amphiphilic diblock copolymers, namely polyisobutylene-block-poly[2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PIB-b-PDMAEMA) and polyisobutylene-block-poly(metharylic acid) (PIB-b-PMAA), were synthesized via oxyanion-initiated polymerization, and their multiple self-assembly behaviors have been studied. An exo-olefin-terminated highly reactive polyisobutylene (HRPIB) was first changed to hydroxyl-terminated PIB (PIB-OH) via hydroboration-oxidation of C＝C double bond in the chain end, and then reacted with KH to yield a potassium alcoholate of PIB (PIB-O^-K⁺). PIB-O^-K⁺ was immediately used as a macroinitiator to polymerize DMAEMA monomer, resulting in a cationic diblock copolymer PIB-b-PDMAEMA. With the similar synthesis procedure, the anionic diblock copolymer PIB-b-PMAA could be prepared via a combination of oxyanion-initiated polymerization of tert-butyl methacrylate (tBMA) and subsequent hydrolysis of tert-butyl ester groups in PtBMA block. The functional PIB and block copolymers have been fully characterized by ¹H-NMR, FT-IR spectroscopy, and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). These samples allowed us to systematically investigate the effects of block composition on the pH responsivity and various self-assembled morphologies of the copolymers in THF/water mixed solvent. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images revealed that these diblock copolymers containing small amount of original PIB without exo-olefin-terminated group are able to self-assemble into micelles, vesicles with different particle sizes and cylindrical aggregates, depending on various factors including block copolymer composition, solvent polarity and pH value.     

pH/enzyme/light triple-responsive vesicles from lysine-based amphiphilic diblock copolymers

We report the synthesis of pH- and enzyme-responsive amphiphilic diblock copolymers through reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization of a lysine-derived methacrylate monomer comprising p-nitrobenzyl carbamate (pNBC) functionality using a poly(ethylene glycol)-modified macro-chain transfer agent. Depending on the hydrophobic block length, the diblock copolymers self-assemble to form spherical micelles, wormlike micelles, and bilayered vesicles in the aqueous solution. The responsive behaviors of the polymeric vesicles to pH, enzyme, and light are investigated in detail. As the pH lowers to pH 5.0, the polymeric vesicles undergo a morphological transition from vesicles to spherical micelles. In the presence of nitroreductase and a cofactor NADH, the decomposition of pNBC releases the ε-NH₂ of the lysine moiety and hence induces the generation of the vesicles with crosslinked membranes at pH 7.4. Moreover, owing to the degradation of pNBC moiety under UV irradiation, the polymeric vesicles also demonstrate a photo-responsive feature. As the irradiation time prolongs, it is observed a light-triggered morphological transition from vesicles to wormlike micelles with network-like structures.     

Dynamics of amphiphilic diblock copolymers at the air-water interface

Two polyisoprene-polyethyleneoxide diblock copolymers with different block length ratios adsorbed to the water surface were investigated by multiple angle of incidence ellipsometry, evanescent wave light scattering, and surface tension experiments. In a semidilute interfacial regime, the transition from a two-dimensional to a "mushroom" regime, in which polymer chains form loops and tails in the subphase, was discussed. A diffusion mechanism parallel to the interface was probed by evanescent wave dynamic light scattering. At intermediate concentrations, the interfacial diffusion coefficient D(∥) scales with the surface concentration Γ, as D(∥) ~ Γ(0.77) in agreement with the scaling observed for polymer solutions in a semidilute regime. At relatively high concentrations a decreasing of D(∥) is discussed in terms of increasing friction due to interactions between polyisoprene chains.     

Synthesis and characterization of pH-responsive diblock copolymers with cadaverine side groups

In this paper, we report the synthesis and characterization of a new pH-responsive diblock copolymer, methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly[N¹-(4-vinylbenzyl) pentane-1,5-diamine dihydrochloride] (mPEG-b-PVBPDA). The monomer with cadaverine side group (N¹-(4-vinylbenzyl)pentane-1,5-diamine dihydrochloride, VBPDA) and the macroinitiator (mPEG-ACVA) were synthesized, respectively, and mPEG-b-PVBPDA was then obtained by free radical polymerization. The structure and molecular weight of mPEG-b-PVBPDA was confirmed by FTIR, ¹H NMR, and GPC-MALLS measurements. At low pH, it is hydrophilic due to the protonation of the amine groups. With increasing pH, deprotonation occurs, and the hydrophobicity of PVBPDA block increases. This molecular feature leads to interesting aggregation behavior of mPEG-b-PVBPDA in aqueous solutions at different pH as revealed by DLS measurements, TEM observations, and fluorescence spectrometry. This polymer was further subjected to gene delivery evaluations, and promising DNA transfection capacity has been found.     

pH-responsive behavior of selectively quaternized diblock copolymers adsorbed at the silica/aqueous solution interface

The desorption and subsequent pH-responsive behavior of selectively quaternized poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMA-PDEA) films at the silica/aqueous solution interface has been characterized. The copolymer films were prepared at pH 9, where micelle-like surface aggregates are spontaneously formed on silica. The subsequent rinse with a copolymer-free electrolyte solution adjusted to pH 9 causes partial desorption of the weakly or non-quaternized copolymers, but negligible desorption for the highly quaternized copolymers. Further rinsing with a pH 4 electrolyte solution results in additional desorption and extension (swelling) of the remaining adsorbed copolymer film normal to the interface. This pH-responsive behavior is reversible for two pH cycles (9-4-9-4) as monitored by both quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) and also zeta potential measurements. The magnitude of the pH-responsive behavior depends on the mean degree of quaternization of the PDMA block. Moreover, a combination of contact angle data, zeta potential measurements and in situ atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies indicates that the pH-responsive behavior is influenced not only by the number of cationic binding sites on the adsorbed copolymer chains but also by the adsorbed layer structure.     

The directed self-assembly of amphiphilic diblock copolymers in selective solvents

The directed self-assembly of diblock copolymers in solvents is studied systematically using a simulated annealing method. Effects of the shape, scale, and adsorption capacity of the induced surface on the morphology of the aggregates are examined. A variety of morphologies are predicted. By increasing the scale of induced surface, the micellar shape transforms from cylinder to sheet with a tail and finally to thin sheet without tail. The shape of induced surface determines the sheet’s shape, such as rounded and square. Configurations of hydrophobic blocks and interfacial energies are investigated by calculating the mean square end-to-end distances and the contact numbers between hydrophobic monomer and other species, respectively.     

Novel fluoroalkyl end-capped amphiphilic diblock copolymers with pH/temperature response and self-assembly behavior

A series of fluoroalkyl end-capped diblock copolymers of poly[2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDMAEMA or PDMA) and poly[2-(N,N-diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PDEAEMA or PDEA) have been synthesized via oxyanion-initiated polymerization, in which a potassium alcoholate of 4,4,5,5,6,6,7,7,7-nonafluoro-1-heptanol (NFHOK) was used as an initiator. The chemical structures of the NFHO-PDMA-b-PDEA and NFHO-PDEA-b-PDMA depended on the addition sequence of the two monomers and the feeding molar ratios of [DMA] to [DEA] during the polymerization process. These copolymers have been characterized by (1)H NMR and (19)F NMR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The aggregation behavior of these copolymers in aqueous solutions at different pH media was studied using a combination of surface tension, fluorescence probe, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Both diblock copolymers exhibited distinct pH/temperature-responsive properties. The critical aggregation concentrations (cacs) of these copolymers have been investigated, and the results showed that these copolymers possess excellent surface activity. Besides, these fluoroalkyl end-capped diblock copolymers showed pH-induced lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs) in water. TEM analysis indicated that the NFHO-PDMA(30)-b-PDEA(10) diblock copolymers can self-assemble into the multicompartment micelles in aqueous solutions under basic conditions, in which the pH value is higher than the pKa values of both PDMA and PDEA homopolymers, while the NFHO-PDEA(10)-b-PDMA(30) diblock copolymers can form flowerlike micelles in basic aqueous solution.     

侧基带有L-苯丙氨酸的手性两亲嵌段共聚物的合成及其自组装行为

N3-苯丙氨酸与嵌段共聚物聚乙二醇-b-聚炔丙基缩水甘油(MPEO-b-PGPE)发生"click"反应,合成了具有光学活性的两亲嵌段共聚物聚乙二醇-B-聚L-苯丙氨酸三唑基缩水甘油(MPEO-b-PGTP),用1H-NMR和元素分析对其结构和组成进行表征.并对其自组装行为进行研究,滴体积法测定MPEO-b-PGTP溶...     

Reversible inside-out micellization of pH-responsive and water-soluble vesicles based on polypeptide diblock copolymers

The synthesis of a new zwitterionic diblock copolymer poly(l-glutamic acid)-b-poly(l-lysine) (PGA-b-PLys) is described, and its self-assembly into schizophrenic vesicles that can reversibly be produced in moderate acidic or basic aqueous solutions is reported. These pH-sensitive nanoparticles are expected to be very promising candidates in macromolecular nanobiotechnologies.     

Crowding effect induced phase transition of amphiphilic diblock copolymer in solution

The crowding agent induced phase transition of amphiphilic block copolymers in solution was explicitly considered. The influence of the size and the volume fraction of the crowding agent on the phase separation of amphiphilic diblock copolymers is investigated by using self-consistent field theory (SCFT) method. The concentration of the disorder to order transition of the block copolymer decreases when the size of the crowding agent is larger than that of the solvent. The higher volume fraction of the crowding agent will induce the transition of the block copolymer from disorder to order state at a lower concentration. The relation between the size and the volume fraction of the crowding agent is elucidated. When the size of the crowding agent is larger, its volume fraction of the disorder to order transition of the block copolymer will be lower. The conformation of the crowding agent considered as a polymer chain is also studied and compared.     

Micellization of non-surface-active diblock copolymers in water. Special characteristics of poly(styrene)-block-poly(styrenesulfonate)

Strongly ionized amphiphilic diblock copolymers of poly(styrene)-b-poly(styrenesulfonate) with various hydrophilic and hydrophobic chain lengths were synthesized by living radical polymerization, and their properties and self-assembling behavior were systematically investigated by surface tension measurement, foam formation, hydrophobic dye solubilization, X-ray reflectivity, dynamic light scattering, small-angle neutron scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering, and atomic force microscope techniques. These copolymer solutions in pure water did not show a decrease of surface tension with increasing polymer concentration. The solutions also did not show foam formation, and no adsorption at the air/water interface was confirmed by reflectivity experiments. However, in 0.5 M NaCl aq solutions polymer adsorption and foam formation were observed. The critical micelle concentration (cmc) was observed by the dye solubilization experiment in both the solutions with and without added salt, and by dynamic light scattering we confirmed the existence of polymer micelles in solution, even though there was no adsorption of polymer molecules at the water surface in the solution without salt. By the small-angle scattering technique, we confirmed that the micelles have a well-defined core-shell structure and their sizes were 100-150 A depending on the hydrophobic and hydrophilic chain length ratio. The micelle size and shape were unaffected by addition of up to 0.5 M salt. The absence of polymer adsorption at the water surface with micelle formation in a bulk solution, which is now known as a universal characteristic for strongly ionized amphiphilic block copolymers, was attributed to the image charge effect at the air/water interface due to the many charges on the hydrophilic segment.     

New amphiphilic diblock copolymers: surfactant properties and solubilization in their micelles

Several series of amphiphilic diblock copolymers are investigated as macrosurfactants in comparison to reference low-molar-mass and polymeric surfactants. The various copolymers share poly(butyl acrylate) as a common hydrophobic block but are distinguished by six different hydrophilic blocks (one anionic, one cationic, and four nonionic hydrophilic blocks) with various compositions. Dynamic light scattering experiments indicate the presence of micelles over the whole concentration range from 10(-4) to 10 g x L(-1). Accordingly, the critical micellization concentrations are very low. Still, the surface tension of aqueous solutions of block copolymers decreases slowly but continuously with increasing concentration, without exhibiting a plateau. The longer the hydrophobic block, the shorter the hydrophilic block, and the less hydrophilic the monomer of the hydrophilic block is, the lower the surface tension is. However, the effects are small, and the copolymers reduce the surface tension much less than standard low-molar-mass surfactants. Also, the copolymers foam much less and even act as anti-foaming agents in classical foaming systems composed of standard surfactants. The copolymers stabilize O/W emulsions made of methyl palmitate as equally well as standard surfactants but are less efficient for O/W emulsions made of tributyrine. However, the copolymer micelles exhibit a high solubilization power for hydrophobic dyes, probably at their core-corona interface, in dependence on the initial geometry of the micelles and the composition of the block copolymers. Whereas micelles of copolymers with strongly hydrophilic blocks are stable upon solubilization, solubilization-induced micellar growth is observed for copolymers with moderately hydrophilic blocks.     

Freeze-fracture TEM imaging of robust order in swollen phases of amphiphilic diblock copolymers

We report on the structures exhibited by two different diblock poly(styrene)-b-poly(acrylic acid) (PS-b-PAA) copolymers in water, a selective solvent. Using a combination of X-ray scattering and freeze fracture-transmission electron microscopy (FF-TEM), we show that these structures can be widely swollen while retaining their initial morphology and a high degree of long-range order. The analysis of the FF-TEM pictures also evidences the presence of water crystallites of regular size and shape within the confined water domains. We relate the growth of these crystallites to the high local ionic strength of the water swelling the PAA brushes. Moreover, the confinement of the crystallites growth shows that the swollen phases have a very robust structure, potentially useful for confining colloidal particles.     

Anomalous transition in aqueous solutions of a thermoresponsive amphiphilic diblock copolymer

The influence of shear flow on aggregation and disaggregation in aqueous solutions of the thermoresponsive methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (MPEG53-b-PNIPAAM113) copolymer that exhibits a lower critical solution temperature was investigated with the aid of turbidity, shear viscosity, and rheo small angle light scattering (rheo-SALS) methods. The turbidity results at quiescent conditions revealed a novel transition peak in the turbidity curve at intermediate temperatures, which reflects the delicate interplay between temperature-induced aggregation and shrinking of the species. A similar anomalous transition peak (located at the same temperature) was observed in the steady shear viscosity measurements at intermediate temperatures, and the amplitude of the peak was reduced with increasing shear rate as a consequence of breakup of interaggregate chains. At low temperatures (low sticking probability), enhanced shear rate generated interpolymer aggregates; whereas in the high-temperature domain (high sticking probability) association structures were broken up as the shear rate was increased. The rheo-SALS experiments disclosed growth of aggregates at low temperatures and destruction of association complexes at high temperatures. An increase of the cloud point temperature with rising shear rate is reported, which is interpreted as being a disruption of clusters under the influence of shear stresses.     

Pressure-induced order transition in nanodot-forming diblock copolymers at the air/water interface

Understanding and controlling the processes in block copolymer (BC) monolayers at the air/water interface during surface area compression is a key issue for producing ultrathin films of predetermined morphology with well-defined order and known dimensions. Langmuir isotherms of nanodot-forming BC monolayers generally display a plateau indicative of a 2D phase transition, which has been the subject of various interpretations in the literature. Here, based on investigations of Langmuir-Blodgett and Langmuir-Schaefer nanodot films of PS-P4VP mixed with 3-n-pentadecylphenol (PDP), we show by atomic force microscopy (AFM) that it involves a change in nanodot packing order (from quasi-hexagonal to quasi-square), argued to be a general phenomenon for nanodot BC monolayers. It is accompanied by system-specific conformational changes (as discussed in previous literature), which, in the present case, implicate PDP alkyl chain ordering, as deduced previously from in situ infrared data and indirectly supported here by AFM imaging.