Synthesis and pH-sensitive micellization of doubly hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(acrylic acid) triblock copolymer in aqueous solutions

A doubly hydrophilic triblock copolymer poly(acrylic acid)-b-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(acrylic acid) (PAA-b-PEO-b-PAA) with M _w/M _n = 1.15 was synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization of t-butyl acrylate (tBA), followed by acidolysis of the PtBA blocks. The pH-sensitive micellization of PAA-b-PEO-b-PAA in acidic solution was investigated by potentiometric titration, fluorescence spectrum, dynamic light scattering and zeta potential. The pK _a was 6.6 and 6.0 in deionized water and in 0.1 mol/L NaCl solution, respectively. The copolymer formed micelles composed of a weakly hydrophobic core of complexed PAA and PEO and a hydrophilic PEO shell in 1 mg/mL solution at pH < 5.5 due to hydrogen bonding. The critical micelle concentration was 0.168 mg/mL at pH 2.0. At pH < 4.5, steady and narrow distributed micelles were formed. Increasing pH to 5.0, unsteady and broad distributed micelles were observed. At pH > 5.5, the micelle was destroyed owing to the ionization of the PAA blocks.     

聚丙烯酸-b-聚丙烯酸甲酯的制备及其在乳液聚合中的应用

采用三硫代碳酸S-1-十二烷基-S'-(a,a'-二甲基-a"-乙酸)酯(MTTCD)作为链转移剂,偶氮二异丁腈(AIBN)为引发剂,丙烯酸(AA)为第一单体,通过可逆加成-断裂链转移(RAFT)自由基聚合合成大分子链转移剂PAA-MTTCD,以丙烯酸甲酯(MA)为第二单体,合成5种不同嵌段比的两亲性嵌段共聚物聚丙烯酸-b-聚丙烯酸甲酯(PAA-b-PMA).采用FT IR和1H NMR确定了PAA-MTTCD和PAA-b-PMA的结构,用GPC测定了PAA-MTTCD和PAA-b-PMA的分子量及分子量分布.分析了聚合反应动力学,发现该聚合具有活性可控聚合的特征,聚合动力学呈一级线性关系.测定了PAA-b-PMA的乳化性能,并将其作为乳化剂用于丙烯酸丁酯(BA)的乳液聚合中,同时考察了不同嵌段长度共聚物对乳液聚合的影响.结果表明,具有21个AA单元和18个MA单元的两亲性嵌段共聚物具有较好的乳化性能,其作为乳化剂时乳液聚合效果相对最好.     

Preparation and characterization of poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid)-b-polystyrene block copolymer self-assembled nanoparticles

Block copolymers poly(styrene-alt-maleic anhydride)-b-polystyrene (P(St-alt-MAn)-b-PSt) were synthesized via radical addition fragmentation chain transfer copolymerization. The maleic anhydride-containing segments of the block copolymer were hydrolyzed to form amphiphilic poly(styrene-alt-maleic acid)-b-polystyrene (P(St-alt-MA)-b-PSt). In aqueous solution, P(St-alt-MA)₇₃-b-PSt₈₁ and P(St-alt-MA)₅₈-b-PSt₁₃₀ formed stable dispersed spherical aggregates of approximately 25 and 40 nm, respectively. Particle size was stable under alkaline conditions and was little affected by the polymer concentration in the range of 0.025–1.0 mg mL^?1. The critical aggregation concentrations of the block copolymer self-aggregates were 1?×?10^?3 and 3?×?10^?3 mg mL^?1 for hydrophobic PSt block lengths of 130 and 81 monomer units, respectively. The nanoparticles had a negative surface charge at pH?>?2. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed that particle–particle coalescence did not occur upon drying of the film and the nanoparticles remained discrete. Controlled aspirin release from the nanoparticles was dependent on the structure of the block polymers and release medium.     

Synthesis of block copolymer poly (n-butyl acrylate)-b-polystyrene by DPE seeded emulsion polymerization with monodisperse latex particles and morphology of self-assembly film surface

Synthesis of poly (n-butyl acrylate)-b-polystyrene (PnBA-b-PSt) with high molecular weight in an environmentally benign medium was carried out in seeded emulsion polymerization, using a novel chain transfer active DPE (1,1-diphenylethylene) agent. Seed latex containing precursor P(nBA-DPE) was prepared first, and the second monomer styrene was swelled into seed latex particles, yielding block copolymer at high conversion. Structures as well as molecular weight of precursor and block copolymer were characterized by FTIR, (1)H NMR, and SEC, respectively. Furthermore, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) observation and Laser Light Scattering (LLS) manifested that monodisperse latex particles were obtained. Self-assembly morphology of block copolymer membrane surface was examined by atom force microscopy (AFM). Phase separation was observed clearly, which was confirmed by the observation of two glass transitions in DSC curve.     

Stereoregularity of poly(methyl acrylate)

The stereoregularity of poly(methyl acrylate) and poly(methyl acrylate-αd) was determined from the NMR spectra. A method of quantitative determination of stereoregularity of poly(methyl acrylate) proposed in this paper is based on the fact that in the 100 Mc./sec. NMR spectrum the absorption peaks due to methylene protons in syndiotactic configurations overlap absorptions due to only one of two methylene protons in isotactic configurations. The stereostructure of poly(methy1 acrylates) polymerized with anionic catalysts such as Grignard reagents, n-butyllithium, and LiAlH₄ is generally richer in isotactic diads than in syndiotactic diads. For example, poly(methyl acrylate) polymerized with phenylmagnesium bromide as catalyst at ?20°C. consists of 99% isotactic and 1% syndiotactic diads. In radical polymerization, the isotacticity of poly(methyl acrylate) is independent of polymerization temperature. Poly(methyl acrylates) polymerized with a Ziegler-Natta catalyst consisting of Al(C₂H₅)₂Cl and VCl₄ have configurations similar to those polymerized by radical initiators. The stereoregularity of poly(methyl acrylate-α-d) resembled that of poly(methyl acrylate) polymerized under the same conditions.     

Thermosensitive behavior of amphiphilic triblock copolymers based on poly(acrylic acid) and poly(propylene oxide)

Self‐association in aqueous solution of amphiphilic poly(acrylic acid)‐b‐poly(propylene oxide)‐b‐poly(acrylic acid) (PAA‐b‐PPO‐b‐PAA) copolymers having various outer PAA block lengths are presented. These copolymers show two thermosensitive behaviors. The first one, due to hydrogen bonds between PAA and PPO resulting in large aggregates, was observed by visible spectroscopy. The second one, due to the association of PPO middle block into aggregates, was evidenced by dynamic light scattering and pyrene fluorescence. These critical temperatures both depend on the ionization and the length of PAA blocks. The characterization of the aggregates above the critical aggregation concentration by fluorescence quenching experiments showed a very low aggregation number corresponding to dimers or trimers association depending on the conditions. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 1507–1514     

Nanosized amorphous calcium carbonate stabilized by poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(acrylic acid) block copolymers

Particles of amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC), formed in situ from calcium chloride by the slow release of carbon dioxide by alkaline hydrolysis of dimethyl carbonate in water, are stabilized against coalescence in the presence of very small amounts of double hydrophilic block copolymers (DHBCs) composed of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) blocks. Under optimized conditions, spherical particles of ACC with diameters less than 100 nm and narrow size distribution are obtained at a concentration of only 3 ppm of PEO-b-PAA as additive. Equivalent triblock or star DHBCs are compared to diblock copolymers. The results are interpreted assuming an interaction of the PAA blocks with the surface of the liquid droplets of the concentrated CaCO3 phase, formed by phase separation from the initially homogeneous reaction mixture. The adsorption layer of the block copolymer protects the liquid precursor of ACC from coalescence and/or coagulation.     

Dynamics of adsorbed poly(methyl acrylate) and poly(methyl methacrylate) on silica

Deuterium NMR and modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC) were used to probe the behavior of ultrathin adsorbed poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA). The spectra for the bulk methyl-labeled PMA-d₃ were consistent with the motions of the polymer segments being spatially homogeneous. For the polymers adsorbed on silica, multicomponent line shapes were observed. The segmental mobility of the surface polymers increased with increased adsorbed amounts. In contrast to the behavior of the polymers in bulk, the adsorbed lower-molecular-mass PMA-d₃ was less mobile than the adsorbed high-molecular-mass polymer. The presence of a polymer overlayer was sufficient to suppress the enhanced mobility of the more-mobile segments of the adsorbed (inner) polymer. MDSC studies on adsorbed poly(methyl methacrylate) showed that the glass-transition temperature of the thin polymer films increased and broadened compared to the behavior of the polymer in bulk. The presence of a motional gradient with the less-mobile segments near the solid-polymer interface and the more-mobile segments near the polymer-air interface was consistent with the experimental observations.     

Interpolymer complexes of poly(acrylic acid) with poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) in aqueous solutions

Complexes formed from poly(acrylic acid) and poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) were studied in aqueous solutions by viscometric, turbidimetric, FTIR spectroscopic, and thermogravimetric analysis methods. The formation of interpolymer complexes stabilized by hydrogen bonds was observed. It was found that the compositions of these interpolymer complexes are strongly dependent on the concentration of polymers, the order of mixing the solutions, and the pH. It was demonstrated that the complexation ability of poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) is relatively low compared to other known nonionic water-soluble polymers. However, it can be significantly increased via hydrophobic modification of the poly(acrylic acid) using cetyl pyridinium bromide.     

Solution properties of poly(methyl acrylate) and (1:1) poly(styrene-co-methyl acrylate)

Poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) and 1:1 poly(styrene-co-methyl acrylate) (PSMA) were prepared by solution and bulk polymerization, respectively. The copolymer was analyzed with NMR to ascertain its composition and microstructure. The solution properties of unfractionated PMA and fractionated PSMA in ethyl acetate were investigated by light-scattering and viscosity techniques at 35°C. Narrow composition heterogeneity as revealed from the light-scattering measurements in different solvents justified the use of a single solvent for the copolymer characterization. The equations relating the limiting viscosity number to molecular weight, the molecular dimension to molecular weight, etc., were found for homopolymer and copolymers in ethyl acetate at 35°C. In the evaluation of the Flory constant K for the unperturbed state by methods based on Flory-Fox-Schaefgen, Kurata-Stockmayer, and Stockmayer-Fixman expressions, only the first method gave a value for PMA in ethyl acetate, consistent with that obtained in other solvents, whereas similar values of K were obtained by the three methods for PSMA in ethyl acetate. The studies indicate reduced thermodynamic interaction for PSMA–ethyl acetate compared to PMA–ethyl acetate, but increased steric effect in the copolymer compared with the homopolymer.     

Small-angle neutron scattering study of poly(methyl methacrylate-block-sodium acrylate-block-methyl methacrylate) and poly(sodium acrylate-block-methyl methacrylate-block-sodium acrylate) triblock copolymers in aqueous solutions

 Small-angle neutron scattering experiments were made on poly(methyl methacrylate-block-sodium acrylate-block-methyl methacrylate) [p(MMA-b-NaA-b-MMA)] and p(NaA-b-MMA-b-NaA) solutions by varying the composition and the concentration of the polymer with and without 1 M NaCl added. Scattering curves could be evaluated by assuming that the polymers aggregate into polydisperse micelles. The experiments support the expectation that in the case of the p(MMA-b-NaA-b-MMA) block sequence the hydrophilic blocks form closed loops connected by both ends to the micellar cores; in the case of the p(NaA-b-MMA-b-NaA) block sequence they float freely in the solvent. The micellar cores exert considerable stability against dilution and added electrolyte. The interaction of charged micelles could be formally described in terms of volume exclusion and the Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek potential. Received: 20 December 2000 Accepted: 18 August 2001     

Rheology and phase behavior of poly(n-butyl acrylate)-block-poly(acrylic acid) in aqueous solution

The surface activity and the rheological properties of aqueous solutions of the amphiphilic block copolymer poly(n-butyl acrylate)-block-poly(acrylic acid) (PnBA-b-PAA) were studied as a function of the degree of neutralization, alpha, of the poly(acrylic acid) block. Although the block copolymer spontaneously forms spherical micelles having a stretched PAA corona and a collapsed PnBA core in water for alpha > 0.1, the solutions do not exhibit any surface activity at this degree of neutralization. Cryo-TEM micrographs show that the radii of the hydrophobic core of the largest micelles are as long as the length of the hydrophobic chain. The micelles, however, have a broad size distribution, and on average, as shown by SANS, the micelles are only about half as long. At concentrations as low as 1 wt %, the solutions exhibit highly viscoelastic behavior and have a yield stress value depending on alpha. The globular micelles are highly ordered in the bulk phase, and the viscoelastic properties are a result of the dense packing of the micelles. The addition of salt or cationic surfactants dramatically decreases the viscosity of the solution. The observed properties seem to be due to electrostatic interactions between the PAA chains of the micelles.     

Self-aggregation of poly(butadiene)-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymers in heptane studied by viscometry and dynamic light scattering

Poly(butadiene)-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PBP2VPPEO) triblock copolymers of various compositions and molecular weights were prepared by sequential anionic polymerization. Their micellization behavior was examined in heptane, which is a selective solvent for PB whereas P2VP and PEO are insoluble. Dynamic light scattering and viscometry were used to determine the basic micellar characteristics, such as aggregation number, micellar sizes, and polydispersity, which were correlated to the molecular characteristics of the copolymers. Such ABC triblock copolymers form structured micelle-like nanoparticles having a core–shell morphology with hydrodynamic diameters in the range of 45–75 nm.     

Potentiometric titration behavior of poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether)-b-poly(ethylenimine)

Poly(ethylene glycol methyl ether)-b-poly(ethylenimine hydrochloride) was characterized using potentiometric and viscosimetric titration methods. The average chemical compositions of the polyamine hydrochloride salts estimated by the acid-base titration,¹H-NMR, and elemental analysis were compared. The apparent dissociation constant, pK, and the inherent viscosity of the polyamine hydrochloride were found to be highly dependent on the degree of neutralization. Very strong coulombic interactions among the charged sites were observed at low pH's for this polymer.     

Synthesis of alkali-soluble copolymer (butyl acrylate/acrylic acid) and its application in leather finishing agent

Alkali-soluble copolymer (butyl acrylate/acrylic acid) was synthesized via solution polymerization and used as the emulsifier to prepare acrylic resin for leather finishing agent. The influence of the synthetic conditions, such as the contents of acrylic acid and the initiator types on the properties of P(BA/AA) was investigated in detail. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR) indicated that the polymerization reaction of P(BA/AA) was complete without “CC” absorption peak. Differential Scanning Calorimeters (DSC) analysis confirmed that the glass transition temperature (T_g) of P(BA/AA) was −44 °C, Transmission Electron microscope (TEM) indicated that the copolymer latex particles dispersed evenly and were less than 100 nm. Moreover, in contrast to acrylic resin prepared with sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) and alkylphenol ethoxylates (OP-10) as the emulsifiers, the applied properties of light leather finished by acrylic resin in use of P(BA/AA) as the emulsifier were measured: The air permeability increased by 18.5% as well as the water-resistance by 28.08% and the wet rub fastness by half class, respectively.     

丙烯酸十六酯与丙烯酸共聚物凝胶的合成及其性能

合成了丙烯酸十六酯(HA)与丙烯酸(AA)的共聚物凝胶，研究了共聚组成对共聚物凝胶性能的影响。结果表明：经二甲亚砜(DMSO)平衡溶胀后的凝胶，在HA与AA的物质的量比为1：1时，具有较高的规整性。溶剂的极性对聚合物凝胶的规整性有较大的影响。DSC及X射线衍射表明共聚物凝胶具有液晶性能。     

Thermal degradation of poly(ethyl methacrylate) and its copolymer with poly(ethyl acrylate)

The thermal degradation behaviour of poly(ethyl methacrylate) homopolymers and poly(ethyl methacrylate) and poly(ethyl acrylate) copolymers synthesized by using the benzoyl peroxide-di-methyl aniline redox pair at different temperatures (18–35C) was investigated. Contrary to some reports in the literature, the thermal degradation of PEMA was observed to take place in multi steps. These are assigned to be loss of labile end groups, side chain scission, anhydride formation and main chain degradation steps. Dominating chemical formations at the end of these steps were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy.The homopolymer samples synthesized at 18C showed a greater thermal stability against degradation. Copolymerization with small amounts of ethyl acrylate was observed to impart thermal stability to PEMA by stabilizing mainly the end groups against degradations.     

A poly(acrylic acid)-block-poly(L-glutamic acid) diblock copolymer with improved cell adhesion for surface modification

A novel PAA-b-PLGA diblock copolymer is synthesized and characterized that has excellent cell adhesion and biocompatibility. Fluorescent DiO labeling is used to monitor the attachment and growth of hASCs on the film surface, and cell proliferation over time is studied. Results show that PLLA modified by a CS/PAA-b-PLGA multilayer film can promote the attachment of human hASCs and provide an advantageous environment for their proliferation. The multilayer film presents excellent biocompatibility and cell adhesive properties, which will provide a new choice for improving the cell attachment in surface modification for tissue engineering. Hydroxyl, carboxyl and amine groups in the CS/PAA-b-PLGA multilayer film may be combined with drugs and growth factors for therapy and differentiation.