Aggregate morphologies of amphiphilic graft copolymers in dilute solution studied by self-consistent field theory

Microstructures assembled by amphiphilic graft copolymers in a selective solvent (poor for the backbone chain and good for graft chains or poor for graft chains and good for the backbone chain) were investigated on the basis of a real-space algorithm of self-consistent field theory in two-dimensions. Circle-like micelles, line-like micelles, large compound micelles, and vesicles are obtained by tailoring the architectural parameters and interaction parameter between the graft blocks and solvents. The aggregate morphology stability regions of graft copolymers as functions of the position of first graft point and the number of branches are constructed. It is found that the architectural parameters play a remarkable role in the complex microstructure formation. The interaction between the graft blocks and solvents is also shown to exert an effect on the morphology stability regions. The distributions of the free end and inner blocks of the backbone are found to be different in various aggregate structures. For the circle-like micelles assembled by graft copolymers with a hydrophobic backbone and vesicles assembled by graft copolymers with a hydrophilic backbone, the free end and inner blocks segregate and localize in different parts of the aggregates depending on their length. However, with respect to the large compound micelles and vesicles assembled by graft copolymers with a hydrophobic backbone, the free end and inner blocks uniformly mix in the clusters.     

Self-assembly behavior of ABA coil-rod-coil triblock copolymers: a Brownian dynamics simulation approach

The self-assembly behavior of ABA coil-rod-coil triblock copolymers in a selective solvent was studied by a Brownian molecular dynamics simulation method. It was found that the rod midblock plays an important role in the self-assembly of the copolymers. With a decrease in the segregation strength, ?(RR), of rod pairs, the aggregate structure first varies from a smecticlike disk shape to a long twisted string micelle and then to small aggregates. The influence of the block length and the asymmetry of the triblock copolymer on the phase behavior were studied and the corresponding phase diagrams were mapped. It was revealed that the variation of these parameters has a profound effect on microstructure. The simulation results are consistent with experimental results. Compared to rod-coil diblock copolymers, the coil-rod-coil triblock copolymers has a larger entropy penalty associated with the interfacial grafting density of the aggregate, leading to a higher ?(RR) value for structural transitions.     

稀溶液中Rod-Coil-Rod三嵌段共聚物组装结构的耗散粒子动力学模拟

采用耗散粒子动力学方法模拟研究了rod-coil-rod 三嵌段共聚物在稀溶液中的聚集行为. 分别考察了rod-coil 嵌段的相互作用、溶剂性质、共聚物浓度以及coil 嵌段长度对聚集体形貌的影响. 模拟结果发现,随着rod-coil 相互排斥作用的增加,共聚物由球形转变成洋葱状、笼形和柱状结构. 随着coil 嵌段疏水性的增加,笼形转变成洋葱状和补丁状结构. 给出了聚集体形貌随共聚物浓度和coil 长度变化的相图. 当浓度较小和coil 嵌段较长时,共聚物形成笼状聚集体,反之,则有利于洋葱状结构的形成.     

Synthesis and self‐assembly of helical polypeptide‐random coil amphiphilic diblock copolymer

Three amphiphilic rod‐coil diblock copolymers, poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline‐b‐γ‐benzyl‐L ‐glutamate) (PEOz‐b‐PBLG), incorporating the same‐length PEOz block length and various lengths of their PBLG blocks, were synthesized through a combining of living cationic and N‐carboxyanhydride (NCA) ring‐opening polymerizations. In the bulk, these block copolymers display thermotropic liquid crystalline behavior. The self‐assembled aggregates that formed from these diblock copolymers in aqueous solution exhibited morphologies that differed from those obtained in α‐helicogenic solvents, that is, solvents in which the PBLG blocks adopt rigid α‐helix conformations. In aqueous solution, the block copolymers self‐assembled into spherical micelles and vesicular aggregates because of their amphiphilic structures. In helicogenic solvents (in this case, toluene and benzyl alcohol), the PEOz‐b‐PBLG copolymers exhibited rod‐coil chain properties, which result in a diverse array of aggregate morphologies (spheres, vesicles, ribbons, and tube nanostructures) and thermoreversible gelation behavior. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 3108–3119, 2008     

双亲半柔性两嵌段共聚物在溶液中自组装形态的模拟退火研究

针对一系列疏溶剂嵌段与溶剂间的相互作用,用模拟退火方法研究了双亲半柔性两嵌段共聚物在溶液中的自组装形态.模拟结果显示共聚物在溶液中均形成核-壳聚集体,其中疏溶剂嵌段形成聚集体的核,亲溶剂嵌段形成聚集体的壳.当上述相互作用较小时,核呈球形,而壳如同长在核上的刺.随着上述相互作用的增大,核逐渐增大.在较大的相互作用时,核呈柱形;而随着相互作用的加大,长在核上的刺逐渐伏贴于核表面.在更大的相互作用时,核又呈球状,壳伏贴于核表面.     

Structural evolution of multicompartment micelles self-assembled from linear ABC triblock copolymer in selective solvents

Using dissipative particle dynamics simulation, structural evolution from concentric multicompartment micelles to raspberry-like multicompartment micelles self-assembled from linear ABC triblock copolymers in selective solvents was investigated. The structural transformation from concentric micelles to raspberry-like micelles can be controlled by changing either the length of B blocks or the solubility of B block. It was found that the structures with B bumps on C surface (B-bump-C) are formed at shorter B block length and the structures with C bumps on B surface (C-bump-B) are formed at relative lower solubility of B blocks. The formation of B-bump-C is entropy-driven, while the formation of C-bump-B is enthalpy-dominated. Furthermore, when the length of C blocks is much lower than that of B blocks, an inner-penetrating vesicle was discovered. The results gained through the simulations provide an insight into the mechanism behind the formation of raspberry-like micelles.     

Recognition-mediated assembly of nanoparticles into micellar structures with diblock copolymers

Polystyrene-based diblock copolymers, featuring diaminotriazine functionality on one of the blocks were used to assemble complementary uracil-functionalized nanoparticles into micellar aggregates. The size of these self-assembled aggregates was controlled by block length, as determined in solution (using dynamic light scattering), and in thin films (using transmission electron microscopy).     

Aggregates in solution of binary mixtures of amphiphilic diblock copolymers with different chain length

The polydispersity effect of amphiphilic AB diblock copolymers on the self-assembled morphologies in solution has been investigated by the real-space implementation of self-consistent field theory (SCFT) in two dimensions (2D). The polydispersity is artificially obtained by mixing binary diblock copolymers where the hydrophilic or hydrophobic blocks are composed of two different lengths while the other block length is kept the same. The main advantage is that this simple polydispersity can easily distinguish the difference of aggregates in the density distribution of long and short block length intuitionally and quantitatively. The morphology transition from vesicles to micelles is observed with increasing polydispersity of copolymers due to the length segregation of copolymers. For polydisperse hydrophilic or hydrophobic blocks, the short blocks tend to distribute at the interfaces between hydrophilic and hydrophobic blocks while the long blocks stretch to the outer space. More specifically, by quantitatively taking the sum of all the concentration distribution of long and short chains over the inside and outside surface areas of the vesicle, it is found that long blocks prefer to locate on the outside surface of the vesicle while short ones prefer the inside. Such length segregation leads to large curvature of the aggregate, thus resulting in the decrease of the aggregate size.     

Aggregate morphologies of amphiphilic ABC triblock copolymer in dilute solution using self-consistent field theory

The complex microstructures of amphiphilic ABC linear triblock copolymers in which one of the end blocks is relatively short and hydrophilic, and the other two blocks B and C are hydrophobic in a dilute solution, have been investigated by the real-space implementation of self-consistent field theory (SCFT) in two dimensions (2D). In contrast to diblock copolymers in solution, the aggregation of triblock copolymers are more complicated due to the presence of the second hydrophobic blocks and, hence, big ranges of parameter space controlling the morphology. By tailoring the hydrophobic degree and its difference between the blocks B and C, the various shapes of vesicles, circlelike and linelike micelles possibly corresponding to spherelike, and rodlike micelles in 3D, and especially, peanutlike micelles not found in diblock copolymers are observed. The transition from vesicles to circlelike micelles occurs with increasing the hydrophobicity of the blocks B and C, while the transition from circlelike micelles to linelike micelles or from the mixture of micelles and vesicles to the long linelike micelles takes place when the repulsive interaction of the end hydrophobic block C is stronger than that of the middle hydrophobic block B. Furthermore, it is favorable for dispersion of the block copolymer in the solvent into aggregates when the repulsion of the solvent to the end hydrophobic block is larger than that of the solvent to the middle hydrophobic block. Especially when the bulk block copolymers are in a weak segregation regime, the competition between the microphase separation and macrophase separation exists and the large compound micelle-like aggregates are found due to the macrophase separation with increasing the hydrophobic degree of blocks B and C, which is absent in diblock copolymer solution. The simulation results successfully reproduce the existing experimental ones.     

Anisotropic self-assembling micelles prepared by the direct dissolution of PLA/PEG block copolymers with a high PEG fraction

A series of polylactide-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLA-PEG) block copolymers with a high PEG fraction were synthesized by the ring-opening polymerization of L- or D-lactide in the presence of mono- or dihydroxyl PEG using nontoxic zinc lactate as a catalyst. Micelles were then prepared by direct dissolution of the obtained water-soluble copolymers in an aqueous medium without heating or using any organic solvents. Large anisotropic micelles instead of conventional spherical ones were observed from a transmission electron microscopy examination. Various parameters influencing the structure of the novel micelles were considered, such as the copolymer chain structure, molar mass, PEG fraction, copolymer concentration, and stereocomplexation between L- and D-PLA blocks. Anisotropic micelles were obtained for both diblock and triblock copolymers but vanished with increasing molar mass of the copolymers. The morphology of micelles strongly depends on the PEG fraction. Anisotropic micelles were found only in an intermediate EO/LA ratio range in which a higher PEG fraction leads to a higher length/width ratio of micelles. Stereocomplexation between L- and D-PLA or a lower concentration disfavors the formation of anisotropic micelles. Under appropriate concentrations, spherical and anisotropic micelles coexist in the same micellar solution. Moreover, it was found that anisotropic micelles are susceptible to further self-assemble into more organized complex aggregates. Similar results were obtained from light scattering and aqueous gel permeation chromatography measurements. A novel model is proposed to explain the formation of anisotropic micelles and the effects of various parameters on the structure of micelles in an aqueous medium.     

Micellisation of triblock copolymers of ethylene oxide and 1,2-butylene oxide: effect of B-block length

We have used pyrene fluorescence spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) to investigate the effect of hydrophobic-block length on values of the critical micelle concentration (cmc) for aqueous solutions of triblock poly(butylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(butylene oxide) block copolymers (B(n)E(m)B(n), where m and n denote the respective block lengths) with hydrophobic block lengths in the range n=12-21. Combined with results from previous work on B(n)E(m)B(n) copolymers with shorter B blocks, plots of log(10)(cmc) (cmc in molar units and reduced to a common E-block length) against total number of B units (n(t)=n for diblock or n(t)=2n for triblock copolymers) display transitions in the slopes of the two plots, which indicate changes in the micellisation equilibrium. These occur at values of n(t)which can be assigned to the onset and completion of collapse of the hydrophobic B blocks, an effect not previously observed for reverse triblock copolymers. The results are compared with related data for diblock E(m)B(n) copolymers.     

SYNTHESIS OF AMPHIPHILIC COIL-ROD-COIL BLOCK COPOLYMERS USING ATOM TRANSFER RADICAL POLYMERIZATION

ABSTRACT

Coil-rod-coil block copolymers composed from luminescent rigid units and acrylate flexible blocks have been synthesized using atom transfer radical polymerization. α,ω-Difunctionalized oligophenylenes properly modified to act as ATRP initiators have been used for the polymerization of the various acrylates. Copolymers with controlled shape and in some cases, relatively low polydispersities have been obtained as proved by size exclusion chromatography and NMR. In cases, where t-butyl acrylate blocks have been used as the flexible part, selective hydrolysis resulted in coil-rod-coil copolymers containing poly(acrylic acid) blocks. The solution behavior of the synthesized copolymers was explored in various solvents. The poly(acrylic acid) copolymers in aqueous solutions form large aggregates, while in organic selective solvents for the flexible block, monomolecular micelles seem to be formed.     

Effects of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization experimental conditions on quantitative compositional analysis of ethylene oxide/propylene oxide copolymers

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry has the potential to become a valuable tool for the compositional analysis of copolymers. For a copolymer composed of structurally very similar building blocks with minor chain length changes, one would expect the relative peak intensities observed in the MALDI mass spectra to reflect its composition, at least within a narrow mass range. However, we show that variations in experimental conditions in MALDI can have a significant effect on the mass spectral appearance of a copolymer. The effects of concentration, laser power, type of matrices and solvents on mass spectra of an ethylene oxide/propylene oxide copolymer are illustrated. These somewhat surprising results show that great care needs to be exercised when interpreting copolymer spectra for compositional analysis, even for copolymers with structurally similar monomers. This work also points out that further studies are needed to better understand and optimize spectral acquisition conditions for reliable copolymer compositional analysis by MALDI.     

Self-assembly of polypeptide-based copolymers into diverse aggregates

Recently, increasing attention has been given to the self-assembly behavior of polypeptide-based copolymers. Polypeptides can serve as either shell-forming or core-forming blocks in the formation of various aggregates. The solubility and rigidity of polypeptide blocks have been found to have a profound effect on the self-assembly behavior of polypeptide-based copolymers. Polypeptide graft copolymers combine the advantages of a grafting strategy and the characteristics of polypeptide chains and their self-assembly behavior can be easily adjusted by choosing different polymer chains and copolymer architectures. Fabricating hierarchical structures is one of the attractive topics of self-assembly research of polypeptide copolymers. These hierarchical structures are promising for use in preparing functional materials and, thus, attract increasing attention. Computer simulations have emerged as powerful tools to investigate the self-assembly behavior of polymers, such as polypeptides. These simulations not only support the experimental results, but also provide information that cannot be directly obtained from experiments. In this feature article, recent advances in both experimental and simulation studies for the self-assembly behavior of polypeptide-based copolymers are reviewed.     

Thermally induced changes in amphiphilicity drive reversible restructuring of assemblies of ABC triblock copolymers with statistical polyether blocks

ABC triblock copolymers in which a block with stimulus-dependent solvophilicity resides between solvophilic and solvophobic end blocks can undergo reversible transitions between different thermodynamically stable assemblies in the presence or absence of stimulus. As a new example of such a copolymer system, thermoresponsive poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide-stat-butylene oxide)-b-poly(isoprene) (E-BE-I) triblock copolymers with narrow molecular weight distributions (M(w)/M(n): 1.05-1.18) were prepared by sequential living anionic and nitroxide-mediated radical polymerizations. The specific copolymers examined (9.0 ≤ M(n) ≤ 14.4 kg/mol, 14% ≤ wt % isoprene ≤35%) form near-spherical aggregates with narrow size distributions at 25 °C. The thermoresponsive behavior of these polymers was studied by applying cloud point, DLS, and TEM measurements to a representative polymer, E(2.3)BE(5.3)I(2.3). The transformation of polymer aggregates from spherical micelles to vesicles (polymersomes) at elevated temperatures was detected by DLS and TEM studies, both with and without cross-linking of polymer assemblies. The rate of transformation with E-BE-I systems is more rapid than that observed for poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-b-poly(isoprene) assemblies, suggesting that interchain hydrogen bonding of responsive blocks after dehydration plays an important role in the kinetics of aggregate rearrangement.     

Structure of ABCA tetrablock copolymer vesicles and their formation in selective solvents: a Monte Carlo study

Vesicles formed by ABCA tetrablock copolymers in solvents that are selective for block A are studied using the Monte Carlo simulation. Simulation results show that the chain length ratio and hydrophobicity of blocks B and C are key factors determining the hydrophobic layer structure of the vesicles. If the B and C blocks are of the same hydrophobicity, the longer block C tends to form the closed hydrophobic layer, whereas the shorter block B is located on the outer surface of the closed hydrophobic layer. However, if the hydrophobicity difference between blocks B and C is high enough, the reverse will occur given that block B has a higher hydrophobicity and block C has a lower hydrophobicity. The kinetics of vesicle formation is also studied. Simulation results reveal that the hydrophobic layer structure is formed through the migration of the polymer chain within the vesicle membrane after the formation of the vesicle profile. This migration is independent of the differences in chain length ratio and the hydrophobicity between the blocks B and C. The packing mode and the migration of polymer chains within the vesicle membrane are also presented and discussed.     

PLA-b-PEO-b-PLA三嵌段共聚物分子聚集体性质的研究

采用开环聚合的方法 ,合成了组成不同的PLA b PEO b PLA三嵌段共聚物 .滴加选择性溶剂水于共聚物的良溶剂溶液中 ,制备了共聚物以水为介质的“平头”聚集体胶束溶液 .把聚集体胶束溶液浇铸在云母片上 ,采用扫描探针显微镜 (SPM)表征了其形貌和表面微粘弹性 .发现脱离了极性介质水的聚集体的表面性质发生了不均一化 ,聚集体的顶部比相连接的部分具有较高的储能模量 .聚集体环境的改变使聚集体中不同嵌段的迁移导致了这种表面粘弹性的不均一 .另外 ,采用动态光散射的方法测量了体系溶液中聚集体胶束的尺寸 .实验发现光散射所得到的聚集体的尺寸远远大于SPM所得到尺寸 .增加聚合物的起始浓度使聚集体胶束的尺寸以及多分散性都在不同程度上增大 .然而聚合物的不同 ,这种增加的程度会有比较大的差别     

Styrene–isoprene block copolymers. I. Synthesis and solution properties

Copolymers with a different degree of distribution of styrene and isoprene blocks are prepared by anionic polymerization. The products are characterized by means of ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, GPC, viscometry, and light scattering. The results show that the copolymers are homogeneous in molecular weight and chain composition. In the investigated selective solvents, cyclohexane and base lubricating oil, and equilibrium exists between micelle aggregates and individual polymer coils. The influence of the copolymer structure on the micellization is more pronounced in cyclohexane.     

Characterization of amphiphilic hydrocarbon modified Poly(ethylene glycol) synthesized through ring-opening reaction of 2-(1-octadecenyl)succinic anhydride

Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) triblock and diblock amphiphilic block copolymers were synthesized from poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(ethylene glycol) monomethyl ether, respectively. The hydroxyl groups of PEG readily react with 2-(1-octadecenyl) succinic anhydride (OSA) at 140 °C through ring-opening reaction of the succinic anhydride. Both the PEG-OSA diblock and triblock copolymers are produced without use of any solvent or catalyst. The molecular structure of the copolymers was characterized by ¹H NMR and FTIR spectroscopy, and the thermal properties by DSC. The behavior of the copolymers in selective and nonselective solvents was studied by ¹H NMR spectroscopy in deuterium oxide and d-chloroform. The aggregation of the polymers in water was studied with a particle size analyzer and a transmission electron microscope (TEM) in bright field mode. The results show that the hydrophobic C₁₈ chain with intramolecular succinic anhydride linker can be attached to the hydrophilic PEG chain, an ester bond forming between the blocks. The copolymers exhibit flexible, liquid-like hydrophobic blocks even in water, which is a nonsolvent for OSA. PEG-OSA block copolymers self-organize in water, forming micellar polymer aggregates in nanoscale.     

Self-assembly Behavior of Symmetrical Linear ABCA Tetrablock Copolymer: A Self-consistent Field Theory Study

ABCA tetrablock copolymers offer new opportunities for design of materials with novel structures. Using real-space self-consistent field theory and simulation, we systematically examined the self-assembly behavior of linear ABCA tetrablock copolymers in a 2D space. The simulation was carried out under conditions of symmetrical compositions and interactions. We focus on the influence of chain length ratio of block A and interactions between block A and other blocks B and C on the self-assembly behavior of the copolymer system. The simulation results show that most of the structures self-assembled by the ABCA tetrablock copolymers are centrosymmetric, such as diblock-like lamella phase, two kinds of lamellae with beads at interface, two kinds of hierarchical lamella phase, hexagonal honeycomb-like phase, lamella phase with mixed BC and hexagonal spheres with mixed BC. Furthermore, we find that a novel noncentrosymmetric Janus spheres can be obtained when the interaction between blocks B and C is strong, whereas a noncentrosymmetric lamella phase was obtained at weak interaction between blocks B and C. Phase diagrams for the ABCA tetrablock copolymers with different interaction strength between blocks B and C are constructed by comparing free energies of candidate ordered structures. In addition, studies on the metastable behavior of the system reveal that enthalpy plays an important role in the metastable behavior of the ABCA tetrablock copolymer system. Our work can provide useful guide for structure control of such kind of tetrablock copolymers in experiments.