Shell-cross-linked cylindrical Polyisoprene-b-polyferrocenylsilane (PI-b-PFS) block copolymer micelles: one-dimensional (1D) organometallic nanocylinders

We report the creation and properties of colloidally stable shell-cross-linked cylindrical organometallic block copolymer micelles with adjustable length and swellability. The one-dimensional (1D) structures with semicrystalline polyferrocenylsilane (PFS) cores and polyisoprene (PI) coronas were initially self-assembled from PI-b-PFS block copolymers in a PI-selective solvent such as hexane. The length of the cylinders could be varied from hundreds of nanometers to several tens of micrometers by adjusting solution conditions, using various solvents such as hexane, decane, or hexane/THF (or toluene) mixtures. The cylindrical micelles with vinyl groups in the PI corona were cross-linked through a Pt(0)-catalyzed hydrosilylation reaction using 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl disiloxane as a cross-linker at room temperature. The shell cross-linking significantly increased the stability of the micelles relative to the un-cross-linked precursors as no fragmentation was observed upon sonication in solution. In addition, the structural integrity of the micelles was also enhanced after solvent removal; a solid sample was successfully microtomed and then examined using TEM, which revealed circular cross-sections for the PI-b-PFS micelles with an average diameter of ca. 15 nm. We also discovered that shell cross-linking is a prerequisite for generating ceramic replicas through the pyrolysis of PI-b-PFS aggregates. Moreover, we were able to pattern the cross-linked micelles on a flat substrate by microfluidic techniques, generating perpendicularly crossed lines of aligned micelles. In short, the shell-cross-linked PI-b-PFS 1D organometallic aggregates are a promising new type of nanomaterial with intriguing potential applications.     

Reversible cross-linking of polyisoprene coronas in micelles, block comicelles, and hierarchical micelle architectures using Pt(0)-olefin coordination

Previous work has established that polyisoprene (PI) coronas in cylindrical block copolymer micelles with a poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane) (PFS) core can be irreversibly cross-linked by hydrosilylation using (HSiMe(2))(2)O in the presence of Karstedt's catalyst. We now show that treatment of cylindrical PI-b-PFS micelles with Karstedt's catalyst alone, in the absence of any silanes, leads to PI coronal cross-linking through Pt(0)-olefin coordination. The cross-linking can be reversed through the addition of 2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe), a strong bidentate ligand, which removes the platinum from the PI to form Pt(dppe)(2). The Pt(0) cross-linking of PI was studied with self-assembled cylindrical PI-b-PFS block copolymer micelles, where the cross-linking was found to dramatically increase the stability of the micellar structures. The Pt(0)-alkene coordination-induced cross-linking can be used to provide transmission electron microscopy contrast between PI and poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) corona domains in block comicelles as the process selectively increases the electron density of the PI regions. Moreover, following the assembly of a hierarchical scarf-shaped comicelle consisting of a PFS-b-PDMS platelet template with PI-b-PFS tassels, Pt(0)-induced cross-linking of the PI coronal regions allowed for the selective removal of the PFS-b-PDMS center, leaving behind an unprecedented hollowed-out scarf structure. The addition of Karstedt's catalyst to PI or polybutadiene homopolymer toluene/xylene solutions resulted in the formation of polymer gels which underwent de-gelation upon the addition of dppe.     

A neutron scattering study of the structure and water partitioning of selectively deuterated copolymer micelles

We present a scattering study of a selectively deuterated micelle-forming diblock copolymer. The copolymer comprises a partially deuterated polystyrene (d,h-PS) block and an imidazolium-functionalized PS (IL) block. In toluene solutions, the copolymers assemble into elongated micelles where the IL block forms the micelle core. Through dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements, we obtain the overall size of the micelles. In our small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) studies, we use contrast matching to characterize the IL core and the PS shell of the micelles independently. The PS block forming the micelle shell exhibits either a starlike or brushlike conformation depending upon the size of the core to which it is tethered. We find the IL block to be in an extended conformation, driving the formation of slightly elongated and relatively stiff micelle cores. The elongated micelle core cross-sectional radius and length depend linearly on the length of the IL block. We find that the micelles can sequester a few water molecules for each IL repeat unit; the addition of water slightly increases the cross section of the elongated micelles.     

Redox-mediated synthesis and encapsulation of inorganic nanoparticles in shell-cross-linked cylindrical polyferrocenylsilane block copolymer micelles

Detailed studies of a new approach to the synthesis and encapsulation of silver and silver halide nanoparticles inside shell-cross-linked cylindrical block copolymer polyisoprene-block-polyferrocenyldimethylsilane (PI-b-PFS) micelles (1) through in situ redox reactions are reported. The cylindrical nanostructures 1 were prepared by the solution self-assembly of the PI-b-PFS diblock copolymer in the PI-selective solvent hexane followed by Pt(0)-catalyzed PI shell-cross-linking hydrosilylation reactions. The partial preoxidation of the swollen PFS core using tris(4-bromophenyl)aminium hexachloroantimonate [p-BrC6H4)3N][SbCl6] (2, Magic Blue) followed by redox reaction between the remaining Fe(II) centers in the PFS core and Ag(+) cations led to the formation of silver nanoparticles. High-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy images of the resulting peapod structures provided a clear indication that the nanoparticles were encapsulated inside the micelles. The composition of the nanoparticles was analyzed by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). By combining the evolution of the UV-vis spectra of the reaction mixture and EDX measurements, we surprisingly found that silver halide seed particles were formed through a precipitation reaction at an early stage of the encapsulation process. The size of the silver nanoparticles varied with different amounts of silver ions added to the micelle solution. When I2 was used as the preoxidant, AgI nanoparticles were formed and encapsulated inside the cylinders through the precipitation reaction between iodide anions and silver ions. The packing density of the resulting AgI nanoparticles was increased by an iterative addition method, which utilizes the reversible redox properties of PFS. The small encapsulated AgI nanoparticles were also shown to serve as seeds for the formation of larger Ag nanoparticles when a silver salt was subsequently added.     

Association behavior of fluorine-containing and non-fluorine-containing methacrylate-based amphiphilic diblock copolymer in aqueous media

Fluorine-containing amphiphilic block copolymers, poly(sodium methacrylate)-block-poly(nonafluorohexyl methacrylate) (NaMAm-b-NFHMAn) (m:n = 61:12, 72:33, 64:57), and the corresponding non-fluorine-containing amphiphilic block copolymer, poly(sodium methacrylate)-block-poly(hexyl methacrylate) (NaMAm-b-HMAn) (m:n = 64:10, 69:37, 67:50), were synthesized. Both polyNaMA-b-polyNFHMA and polyNaMA-b-polyHMA formed micelles above critical micelle concentrations, (cmc's), around 3 x 10(-5) to 1 x 10(-4) mol/L, while neither polymer decreased surface tension of aqueous solutions. The size and shape of the micelles were examined by dynamic light scattering, small-angle neutron scattering, and small-angle X-ray scattering. PolyNaMA-b-polyHMA appeared to form only spherical micelles, while polyNaMA-b-polyNFHMA with a long NFHMA segment formed both spherical and rodlike micelles. The micelles of fluorine-containing block copolymers were obviously larger than those of non-fluorine-containing block copolymers with the same chain length and the same hydrophilic/hydrophobic chain ratio. The fluorine-containing block copolymer selectively solubilized fluorinated dye into the water phase when a mixture of decafluorobiphenyl and 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene was added to the micelle solution.     

Polymer micelles as building blocks for the incorporation of azobenzene: enhancing the photochromic properties in layer-by-layer films

We described the use of block copolymer micelles as building blocks for the incorporation of water-insoluble photochromic species of azobenzene and the fabrication of multilayer films by alternating the deposition of the block copolymer micelles of poly(styrene-b-acrylic acid), incorporating azobenzene and poly(diallyl-dimethylammonium chloride). The azobenzene incorporated into the block copolymer micelles can undergo a reversible photoisomerization under the irradiation of UV and visible light sources. An interesting finding is that the photoisomerization of the azobenzene in the multilayer film is faster than it is in its normal solid film, but very similar to that in its diluted solution. Furthermore, the amount of azobenzene incorporated into the micelles can influence the photoisomerization rates in the films. Therefore, we expect that the block copolymer micelles may provide a proper microenvironment for the photoisomerization of azobenzene and the as-prepared polyelectrolyte/block copolymer micelle thin films will be useful for photoswitching materials.     

Application of solid phase peptide synthesis to engineering PEO–peptide block copolymers for drug delivery

This work describes a simple, versatile solid-phase peptide-synthesis (SPPS) method for preparing micelle-forming poly(ethylene oxide)-block-peptide block copolymers for drug delivery. To demonstrate its utility, this SPPS method was used to construct two series of micelle-forming block copolymers (one of constant core-composition and variable length; the other of constant core length and variable composition). The block copolymers were then used to study in detail the effect of size and composition on micellization. The various block copolymers were prepared by a combination of SPPS for the peptide block, followed by solution–phase conjugation of the peptide block with a proprionic acid derivative of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) to form the PEO-b-peptide block copolymer. The composition of each block component was characterized by mass spectrometry (MALDI and ES-MS). Block copolymer compositions were characterized by ¹H NMR. All the block copolymers were found to form micelles as judged by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and light scattering analysis. To demonstrate their potential as drug delivery systems, micelles prepared from one member of the PEO-b-peptide block copolymer series were physically loaded with the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX). Micelle static and dynamic stability were found to correlate strongly with micelle core length. In contrast, these same micellization properties appear to be a complex function of core composition, and no clear trends could be identified from among the set of compositionally varying, fixed length block copolymer micelles. We conclude that SPPS can be used to construct biocompatible block copolymers with well-defined core lengths and compositions, which in turn can be used to study and to tailor the behavior of block copolymer micelles.     

Conventional synthesis of amphiphilic block copolymer utilized for polymeric micelle by mechanochemical solid-state polymerization

The first example is presented here of an amiphiphilic block copolymer synthesized by mechanochemical solid-state polymerization and used to form polymeric micelles. A model amphiphilic block copolymer was synthesized first, possessing galactose as a hydrophilic side chain and theophylline as a hydrophobic side chain, by mechanochemical solid-state polymerization. The resulting copolymer had a narrow molecular weight distribution. Polymeric micelle formation was subsequently carried out with the copolymer by a dialysis method. To gain insight into the physicochemical properties of the polymeric micelle, dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements were performed. A narrow distribution of diameters was observed in the polymeric micelle solution, and these micelles were disrupted by the addition of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). It was also confirmed by DLS measurements that the polymeric micelles were spherical. These results suggested that the block copolymer synthesized by mechanochemical solid-state polymerization was as suitable for the preparation of polymeric micelles as materials obtained by living polymerization.     

基于“分子胶”的新型两亲性嵌段共聚物β-CD-PLA的合成及其胶束化

以二重氢键为引导,二硫键连接疏水性聚乳酸(PLA)和亲水性β-环糊精(β-CD)合成了嵌段共聚物β-CD-PLA。采用1 H-NMR和GPC对嵌段共聚物β-CD-PLA的结构进行了表征,以芘作为荧光分子探针对嵌段共聚物β-CD-PLA自组装胶束的性质进行了表征,采用动态光散射纳米粒度仪(DLS)对自组装胶束的粒径进行了测试。结果表明:在二重氢键的引导作用力和碘的氧化作用下,中间体脱去保护基形成双二硫键,形成目标嵌段共聚物β-CD-PLA,该嵌段共聚物能够在水中自组装形成纳米胶束,临界胶束浓度(CMC)为0.089mg/mL,在稀溶液中具有良好的稳定性,自组装形成空白胶束的粒径为31nm,阿霉素盐酸盐(DOX)载药胶束的粒径为42nm。     

Microenvironment in the corona region of triblock copolymer micelles: temperature dependent solvation and rotational relaxation dynamics of coumarin dyes

Dynamic Stokes' shift and fluorescence anisotropy measurements using coumarin-153 (C153) and coumarin-151 (C151) as the fluorescence probes have been carried out in aqueous poly(ethylene oxide)20-poly(propylene oxide)70-poly(ethylene oxide)20 (P123) and poly(ethylene oxide)100-poly(propylene oxide)70-poly(ethylene oxide)100 (F127) block copolymer micelles with an aim to understand the water structures and dynamics in the micellar corona region. It has been established that the probes reside in the micellar corona region. It is indicated that the corona regions of P123 and F127 micelles are relatively less hydrated than the Palisade layers of neutral micelles like Triton-X-100 and Brij-35. From the appraisal of total Stokes' shift values for the probes in the two block copolymer micelles, it is inferred that the F127 micelle is more hydrated than the P123 micelle. It is observed that the dynamic Stokes' shift values for both of the probes remain more or less similar at all the temperatures studied in the P123 micelle. For C153 in F127, however, the observed Stokes' shift is seen to decrease quite sharply with temperature, though it remains quite similar for C151. Moreover, the fraction of the unobserved initial dynamic Stokes' shift is appreciably higher for both the probes in the F127 micelle compared to that in P123. Over the studied temperature range of 293-313 K, the spectral shift correlation function is described adequately by a bi-exponential function. Rotational relaxation times for C153 in both the micelles show a kind of transition at around 303 K. These results have been rationalized assuming collapse of the poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) blocks and formation of water clusters in the corona region due to dehydration of poly(ethylene oxide) blocks with an increase in temperature. A dissimilar probe location has been inferred for the differences in the results with C153 and C151 probes in F127. Comparison of the microviscosity and the hydration of the block copolymer micelles has also been made with those of the other commonly used neutral micelles, for a better understanding of the results in the block copolymer micelles.     

Kinetics and dynamic properties of equilibrium polymers

The statistical mechanics and scission-recombination mechanism of self-assembling linear micelles are investigated by Brownian dynamics using a newly proposed mesoscopic model representing the micelles as equilibrium polymer chains. A semidilute concentration regime, yet dynamically unentangled, is considered over a wide range of scission/recombination rates. We focus on the analysis of short and long time behaviors of the scission and recombination mechanisms. Our results show that at time scales larger than the life time of the average chain length, the kinetics is in agreement with the mean-field kinetic model proposed by Cates and Candau [J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 2, 6869 (1990)] provided the kinetic constants are estimated as effective ones. These values do take into account through a transmission coefficient that a fraction of scission/recombination events is correlated over a short time (diffusion controlled mechanism) and thus turn out to be ineffective reactive events by annihilation effects. By studying macroscopic relaxation phenomena such as the average micelle length evolution after a T jump, the monomer diffusion, and the zero shear stress relaxation function, we confirm that the effective kinetic constants found are indeed the relevant parameters when macroscopic relaxation is coupled to the kinetics of micelles.     

A concise review of dynamical processes in polymorphic environments of a block copolymer: Rotational diffusion and photoisomerization

This article describes our ongoing efforts to understand dynamical processes such as rotational diffusion and photoisomerization in polymorphic environments of a block copolymer. The objective is to explore how the typical properties of a block copolymer solution such as critical micelle temperature (CMT) and temperature-induced sol-gel transition influence the rotational diffusion of hydrophobic solute molecules. Rotational diffusion of solute molecules differs significantly below and above the CMT of a block copolymer solution, while there is no influence of sol-gel transition on solute rotation. This is rationalized on the basis of the site of solubilization of the solute molecules which is the palisade layer of the micelles in both phases and unaffected by gelation. A similar result has been obtained in case of photoisomerization studies carried out with a carbocyanine derivative in the sol and gel phases of the block copolymer. The isomerization studies have been extended to the reverse phases (sol and gel phases) of the block copolymer to explore the nature of the water present in the cores of the reverse micelles. Our results provide evidence for the existence of water droplets with properties resembling bulk water. In essence, we show that despite having vastly differing bulk properties, both the solution and gel phases (normal as well as reverse) offer identical microscopic environment.     

Micellization phenomena of biodegradable amphiphilic triblock copolymers consisting of poly(beta-hydroxyalkanoic acid) and poly(ethylene oxide)

This paper reports the studies on micelle formation of new biodegradable amphiphilic poly(ethylene oxide)-poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate]-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PHB-PEO) triblock copolymer with various PHB and PEO block lengths in aqueous solution. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the micelles took an approximately spherical shape with the surrounding diffuse outer shell formed by hydrophilic PEO blocks. The size distribution of the micelles formed by one triblock copolymer was demonstrated by dynamic light scattering technique. The critical micellization phenomena of the copolymers were extensively studied using the pyrene fluorescence dye absorption technique, and the (0,0) band changes of pyrene excitation spectra were used as a probe for the studies. For the copolymers studied in this report, the critical micelle concentrations ranged from 1.3 x 10(-5) to 1.1 x 10(-3) g/mL. For the same PEO block length of 5000, the critical micelle concentrations decreased with an increase in PHB block length, and the change was more significant in the short PHB range. It was found that the micelle formation of the biodegradable amphiphilic triblock copolymers consisting of poly(beta-hydroxyalkanoic acid) and PEO was relatively temperature-insensitive, which is quite different from their counterparts consisting of poly(alpha-hydroxyalkanoic acid) and PEO.     

PEO-PPO-PEO水溶液体系胶束化及凝胶化行为的耗散粒子动力学模拟

采用耗散粒子动力学(Dissipative particle dynamics, DPD)模拟方法研究了三嵌段共聚物聚氧乙烯-聚氧丙烯-聚氧乙烯(PEO-PPO-PEO)的胶束化和凝胶化行为. 通过模拟得到了F127(EO₉₉PO₆₅EO₉₉)水溶液的临界胶束浓度和临界凝胶浓度. 结果发现, 在298 K、 质量分数低于40%时, F127水溶液中形成的胶束形状均为球形. 此外,进一步研究了亲水嵌段长度对胶束结构及凝胶形成浓度的影响, 结果发现, 亲水嵌段越短, 越有利于长椭球状胶束的形成, 而临界凝胶浓度随着亲水嵌段PEO长度的增加而降低.     

Effects of block architecture and composition on the association properties of poly(oxyalkylene) copolymers in aqueous solution

A block copolymer of hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) and a hydrophobic poly(alkylene oxide) can associate in dilute aqueous solution to form micelles. The results of recent investigations of the micellisation behaviour and micelle properties of such copolymers are described. Copolymers of ethylene oxide with propylene oxide, 1,2‐butylene oxide or styrene oxide are considered, including aspects of their preparation. Experimental methods for determination of critical conditions for micellisation, micelle association number and spherical‐micelle radius are summarised. Effects of temperature, composition, block length and block architecture (diblock, triblock and cyclic‐diblock) are described and, where possible, related to the predictions of theory. Brief consideration is given to the dynamics of micelle formation/dissociation, to cylindrical micelles, and to effects of added salts.     

End-to-end coupling and network formation behavior of cylindrical block copolymer micelles with a crystalline polyferrocenylsilane core

Cylindrical block copolymer micelles with a crystalline poly(ferrocenyldimethylsilane) (PFDMS) core and a long corona-forming block are known to elongate through an epitaxial growth mechanism on addition of further PFDMS block copolymer unimers. We now report that addition of the semicrystalline homopolymer PFDMS(28) to monodisperse short (ca. 200 nm), cylindrical seed micelles of PFDMS block copolymers results in the formation of aggregated structures by end-to-end coupling to form micelle networks. The resulting aggregates were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). In some cases, a core-thickening effect was also observed where the added homopolymer appeared to deposit and crystallize at the core-corona interface, which resulted in an increase of the width of the micelles within the networks. No evidence for aggregation was detected when the amorphous homopolymer poly(ferrocenylethylmethylsilane) (PFEMS(25)) was added to the cylindrical seed micelles whereas similar behavior to PFDMS(28) was noted for semicrystalline polyferrocenyldimethylgermane (PFDMG(30)). This suggested that the crystallinity of the added homopolymer is critical for subsequent end-to-end coupling and network formation to occur. We also explored the tendency of the cylindrical seed micelles to form aggregates by the addition of PI-b-PFDMS (PI = polyisoprene) block copolymers (block ratios 6:1, 3.8:1, 2:1, or 1:1), and striking differences were noted. The results ranged from typical micelle elongation, as reported in previous work, at high corona to core-forming block ratios (PI-b-PFDMS; 6:1) to predominantly end-to-end coupling at lower ratios (PI-b-PFDMS; 2:1, 1:1) to form long, essentially linear structures. The latter process, especially for the 2:1 block copolymer, led to much more controlled aggregate formation compared with that observed on addition of homopolymers.     

Synthesis and characterization of shell cross-linked micelles with hydroxy-functional coronas: a pragmatic alternative to dendrimers?

Shell cross-linked (SCL) micelles with hydroxy-functional coronas have been constructed in aqueous solution by exploiting the micellar self-assembly behavior of a new thermoresponsive ABC triblock copolymer. This copolymer was prepared via atom transfer radical polymerization in a convenient one-pot synthesis and comprised a thermoresponsive core-forming poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) block, a cross-linkable central poly(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (DMA) block, and a hydroxy-functional outer block based on poly(glycerol monomethacrylate) (GMA). DMF GPC analysis confirmed a unimodal molecular weight distribution for the PPO-PDMA-PGMA triblock copolymer precursor, with an M(n) of 12 100 and a polydispersity of approximately 1.26. This copolymer dissolved molecularly in aqueous solution at 5 degrees C but formed micelles with hydroxy-functional coronas above a critical micelle temperature of around 12 degrees C, which corresponded closely to the cloud point of the PPO macroinitiator. Cross-linking of the DMA residues using 1,2-bis(2-iodoethoxy)ethane produced SCL micelles that remained intact at 5 degrees C, i.e., below the cloud point of the core-forming PPO block. Dynamic light scattering studies confirmed that the SCL micelle diameter could be varied depending on the temperature employed for cross-linking: smaller, more compact SCL micelles were formed at higher temperatures, as expected. Since cross-linking involved quaternization of the DMA residues, the SCL micelles acquired cationic surface charge as judged by aqueous electrophoresis studies. These cationic SCL micelles were adsorbed onto near-monodisperse anionic silica sols, which were used as a model colloidal substrate. Thermogravimetric analyses indicated a SCL micelle mass loading of 2.5-4.4%, depending on the silica sol diameter and the initial micelle concentration. Aqueous electrophoresis measurements confirmed that surface charge reversal occurred after adsorption of the SCL micelles, and scanning electron microscopy studies revealed a uniform coating of SCL micelles on the silica particles.     

Temperature tunable micellization of polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) at Si-ionic liquid interface

Highly ordered and stable micelles formed from both symmetric and asymmetric block copolymers of polystyrene-block-poly(2-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP) at the Si-ionic liquid (IL) interface have been investigated by scanning force microscopy (SFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate IL, a selective and temperature-tunable solvent for the P2VP block, was used and gave rise to block copolymer micelles having different morphologies that strongly depended on the annealing temperature. The effects of film thickness, molecular weight of block copolymers, and experimental conditions, such as preannealing, rinsing, and substrate properties, on the morphologies of block copolymer micelles were also studied. In addition, spherical micelles consisting of PS core and P2VP shell could also be obtained by core-corona inversion by annealing the as-coated micellar film in the IL at high temperatures. The possible mechanism for micelle formation is discussed.     

Synthesis and aggregation behaviour of amphiphilic block copolymers with random middle block

The effect of microstructure on the aggregation behaviour of symmetrical di- and triblock copolymers P(BMA)-b-P(MAA) and P(BMA)-b-P(BMA-co-MAA)-b-P(MAA) with a molecular weight of 40,000 g/mol was studied. The critical micelle concentration, hydrodynamic radius and morphology of the micelles were determined by fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and scanning force microscopy (SFM). Whereas no effect of the microstructure on the critical micelle concentration could be detected, the hydrodynamic radius decreased from di- to triblock copolymer from 53 to 36 nm. The decrease of about 32% corresponds to the length of the random middle block within the triblock copolymer so that the reduction in hydrodynamic radius was caused by a complete orientation of the random middle block at the core corona interface. Finally, the SFM investigation showed that dehydration of micelles on a substrate is accompanied by formation of a physisorbed monolayer with a thickness of 2 nm on which the micelles are deposited.     

Structure and interactions of charged triblock copolymers studied by small-angle X-ray scattering: dependence on temperature and charge screening

A series of thermo-responsive cationic triblock copolymers composed of methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) (MPEG, hydrophilic), poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAM, temperature sensitive), and poly((3-acrylamidopropyl) trimethyl ammonium chloride) (PN(+), cationic) has been investigated as a function of temperature and ionic strength. In the MPEG-b-PNIPAAM-b-PN(+) copolymers, the MPEG block length is constant, and the lengths of the PNIPAAM and PN(+) blocks are varied. The solubility of the PNIPAAM block decreases with increasing temperature, and the triblock copolymer thus provides the possibilities of studying micelles with both neutral and charged blocks in the micelle corona as well as the interplay between these two blocks as the electrostatic interactions are varied by addition of salt. Investigation of the systems by densitometry and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) in a temperature range from 20 to 70 °C gave detailed information on the behavior both below and above the critical micelle temperature (CMT). A clear effect of the addition of salt is observed in both the apparent partial specific volume, obtained from the densitometry measurements, and the SAXS data. Below the CMT, the single polymers can be described as Gaussian chains, for which the repulsive interchain interactions, originating from the charged PN(+) block, have to be taken into account in salt-free aqueous solution. Increasing the salt concentration of the solution to 30 mM NaCl leads to an increase in the apparent partial specific volume, and the electrostatic repulsive interchain interactions between the single polymers vanish. Raising the temperature results in micelle formation, except for the copolymer with only 20 NIPAAM units. The SAXS data show that the polymer with the medium PNIPAAM block length forms spherical micelles, whereas the polymer with the longest PNIPAAM block forms cylindrical micelles. Increasing the temperature further above the CMT results in an increase in the micellar aggregation number for both of the polymers forming spherical and cylindrical micelles. The addition of salt to the solution also influences the aggregates formed above the CMT. Overall, the micelles formed in the salt solution have a smaller cross-section radius than those in aqueous solution without added salt.