两亲性/双疏性嵌段共聚物共混体系的自组装行为研究

采用耗散粒子动力学方法,研究了两亲性嵌段共聚物和双疏性嵌段共聚物共混体系的自组装行为,探讨了双疏性嵌段共聚物的浓度以及双疏性嵌段共聚物的嵌段体积分数对聚集体结构的影响.结果表明,随着双疏性嵌段共聚物浓度的增加,聚集体发生自囊泡到棒状胶束再到同心圆多舱胶束的转变,且当浓度较高时,同心圆多舱胶束的同心圆层数量与浓度密切相关.当双疏性嵌段共聚物中的嵌段体积分数降低时,球形胶束由同心圆结构转变为非同心圆结构.此外,利用Minkowski泛函方法表征了多舱胶束的形成过程,发现这是一个先形成大尺度球形结构、再形成小尺度内核结构的分级组装过程.     

ABC三嵌段共聚物的聚合诱导自组装研究

聚合诱导自组装(PISA)是一种在高浓度溶液中可连续大量制备纳米材料的新技术,结合计算模拟方法,研究其动力学过程可强化对PISA的认识和调控.通过耗散粒子动力学(DPD)模拟,研究了ABC三嵌段共聚物的聚合诱导自组装过程.先利用亲溶剂A链段引发B单体聚合,随着疏溶剂B链段的增长,AB二嵌段共聚物可组装并发生聚集体结构的连续转变,由球形胶束→蠕虫状胶束→层状结构→囊泡.再将C单体逐步聚合到AB共聚物上,调控C链段的亲疏溶剂性,可聚合诱导组装或解组装形成不同的ABC三嵌段共聚物聚集体.     

聚乙二醇-接枝-聚(γ-苄基L-谷氨酸酯)刚-柔接枝共聚物的合成及其自组装行为研究

通过负离子开环聚合,合成了以柔性亲水的聚乙二醇(PEG)为主链,刚性疏水的聚(γ-苄基L-谷氨酸酯)(PBLG)为侧链的PEG-g-PBLG刚-柔接枝共聚物.运用核磁共振氢谱(1H-NMR)、傅里叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)和凝胶渗透色谱(GPC)等表征了共聚物的结构、分子量及其分布.以共溶剂溶解、选择性溶剂透析的方法制备了自组装聚集体.利用扫描电子显微镜(SEM)、透射电子显微镜(TEM)、原子力显微镜(AFM)和激光光散射(LLS)等表征了共聚物自组装体的形貌和结构.研究发现,基于其特殊的拓扑结构,接枝共聚物的自组装行为表现出与一般规律不同的变化趋势.具有较短疏水PBLG侧链的PEG-g-PBLG可以自组装形成球形复合胶束,随着疏水PBLG侧链的增长,聚集体逐渐由复合胶束转变为囊泡,这种现象在已有的研究中鲜有报道.此外,降低初始聚合物溶液的浓度,共聚物自组装得到的聚集体的尺寸变小而分布变宽;反之,聚集体的尺寸增大而分布变窄.还利用耗散粒子动力学方法,验证了实验中聚集体的形貌变化,并给出了聚集体中的链段分布等在实验中较难得到的信息.     

磷酰胆碱基pH敏感性ABA型嵌段共聚物的合成与胶束化

采用氯化亚铜/2,2-联二吡啶催化体系, 2,5-二溴己二酸二乙酯为引发剂, 甲醇为溶剂运用希莱克技术, 利用原子转移自由基聚合(ATRP)方法合成了ABA型三嵌段共聚物PDEAEMA-b-PMPC-b-PDEAEMA. ¹H NMR和GPC(凝胶渗透色谱)对聚合物组成、结构及分子量进行了表征, 利用透光率、粘度测定研究了嵌段共聚物溶液的pH敏感性, 利用表面张力测定、荧光探针和透射电镜研究了嵌段共聚物胶束化作用, 确定了共聚物水溶液的临界胶束浓度(CMC). 结果表明所合成的ABA型三嵌段共聚物水溶液具有pH敏感性, 其临界相变pH 7～7.5. 调节溶液pH值可实现嵌段共聚物胶束化形成“花状”胶束, 并测定了其临界胶束浓度.     

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.     

不同亲疏水比例的光响应性嵌段共聚物的合成及溶液组装行为研究

以末端带有二硫代酯基团的聚合物PhC（=S）-S-PEO作为大分子链转移剂,利用可逆加成-断裂链转移自由基聚合法（RAFT）合成一系列亲疏水比例不同的嵌段共聚物PEO_n-b-PMeA6AB2_m,并采用核磁共振（¹H NMR）和凝胶渗透色谱（GPC）对产物进行了表征. 运用场发射透射电子显微镜（FETEM）、扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、场发射扫描电子显微镜（FESEM）、光学显微镜、粒径分析仪和荧光光谱研究了聚集体的形貌、粒径及其在光刺激下的响应行为. 结果表明,聚集体形态为胶束,包含大复合胶束. 随着自组装初始浓度的降低、转速的增加,聚集体尺寸降低,分布趋于均一;当亲疏水比例为2.3时,球形复合胶束中出现了花生型、棒状结构. 包覆有尼罗红的聚集体在紫外/可见光的循环照射下,部分尼罗红被释放. 共聚物BCP-S3-0.82形成的自组装体系在紫外光照射下,尺寸较大的复合胶束发生一定程度的不可逆的解离.     

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.     

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（英文）

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.     

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     

含环状原酸酯侧基的两亲性嵌段共聚物及其酸敏感胶束状聚集体

合成了含有环状原酸酯基团的单体,甲基丙烯酸5-(5-甲基-2-乙氧基-1,3-二氧六环)甲酯(EDMM),以PEO大分子引发剂引发,通过原子转移自由基聚合方法制备了两个疏水链段(PEDMM)长度不同的酸敏感两亲性嵌段共聚物,PEO-b-PEDMM17和PEO-b-PEDMM34.两个聚合物在水溶液中形成粒径约为60～200nm的球型聚集体,通过动态光散射、透射电镜、荧光探针等手段表征了所得聚集体.结果显示,疏水链段较短的共聚物的临界聚集浓度较高,形成的聚集体尺寸较小.核磁和荧光探针结果表明,胶束状聚集体在中性(pH7.4)水溶液中比较稳定,在酸性水溶液中其疏水核的极性因原酸酯的水解而增加.该类酸敏感胶束状聚集体有望用于肿瘤、细胞内给药等药物传递体系.     

Microviscosity in multiple regions of complex aqueous solutions of poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)

Aqueous poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO109-PPO41-PEO109) copolymers are nonionic surfactants that self-organize to form aggregate structures with increasing temperature or concentration. We have studied two concentrations over a range of temperatures so that the copolymers are in one of three microphases: unimers, micelles, or hydrogels formed from body centered cubic aggregates of micelles. Three different coumarin dyes were chosen based on their hydrophobicity so that different aggregate regions could be probed independently-water insoluble coumarin 153 (C153), hydrophobic coumarin 102 (C102), and the hydrophilic sodium carboxylate form of coumarin 343 (C343-). Fluorescence anisotropy experiments provide detailed information on the local microviscosity. C153 experiences a fourfold increase in reorientation time and hence microviscosity with increasing temperature through the microphase transition from unimers to micelles. C102 also shows an increase in microviscosity with temperature but smaller in magnitude and with the microphase transition shifted to higher temperature relative to C153. C343- shows only a slight sensitivity to the microphase transition. For any of the three coumarin probes, fluorescence anisotropies do not show any correlation with the microphase transition to form cubic hydrogels.     

Phase diagrams,mechanisms and unique characteristics of alternating-structured polymer self-assembly via simulations

Alternating-structured polymers(ASPs), like alternating copolymers, regular multiblock copolymers and polycondensates, are very important polymer structures with broad applications in photoelectric materials. However, their self-assembly behaviors,especially the self-assembly of alternating copolymers, have not been clearly studied up to now. Meanwhile, the unique characteristics therein have not been systematically disclosed yet by both experiments and theories. Herein, we have performed a systematic simulation study on the self-assembly of ASPs with two coil alternating segments in solution through dissipative particle dynamics(DPD) simulations. Several morphological phase diagrams were constructed as functions of different impact parameters. Diverse self-assemblies were observed, including spherical micelles, micelle networks, worm-like micelles, disklike micelles, multimicelle aggregates, bicontinuous micelles, vesicles, nanotubes and channelized micelles. Furthermore, a morphological evolutionary roadmap for all these self-assemblies was constructed, along with which the detailed molecular packing models and self-assembly mechanisms for each aggregate were disclosed. The ASPs were found to adopt a folded-chain mechanism in the self-assemblies. Finally, the unique characteristics for the self-assembly of alternating copolymers were revealed especially, including(1) ultra-fine and uniform feature sizes of the aggregates;(2) independence of self-assembled structures from molecular weight and molecular weight distribution;(3) ultra-small unimolecular aggregates. We believe the current work is beneficial for understanding the self-assembly of alternating structured polymers in solution and can serve as a guide for the further experiments.     

Synthesis of poly(styrene‐block‐tert‐butyl acrylate) star polymers by atom transfer radical polymerization and micellization of their hydrolyzed polymers

A series of poly(styrene‐block‐tert‐butyl acrylate) heteroatom star block copolymers having various block lengths were prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), using an “as synthesized” cynurate modified trifunctional initiator. The structure of the star polymers was confirmed by the characterization of the individual arms resulting from hydrolysis. Amphiphilic poly(styrene‐block‐acrylic acid) star copolymers were further synthesized by hydrolyzing PtBA blocks using anhydrous trifluoroacetic acid. The characterization data are reported from analyses using gel permeation chromatography, infrared, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopies. The stable micelle solution was prepared by dialyzing the solution of these polymers in N,N‐dimethylformamide against deionized water. The temperature‐induced associating behavior of these amphiphilic star polymers were studied using dynamic laser light scattering spectroscopy. The hydrodynamic diameter of both micelles and unassociated chains were obtained in the same solution using light scattering cumulant's calculation method. The homogeneity and the size distribution of the micelle population in the solution were determined using centrifuge/sedimentation particle size distribution analyzer. Field emission scanning electron microscope was used to visualize the size of the micelles formed and the micellar aggregates. The influence of the temperature on the viscosity of the micelle solution was studied using an Ubbelohde viscometer. Thermodynamics of micellization of these block copolymers were also investigated. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 43: 6367–6378, 2005     

Self-assembly of charged amphiphilic diblock copolymers with insoluble blocks of decreasing hydrophobicity: from kinetically frozen colloids to macrosurfactants

We have investigated the self-assembly properties in aqueous solution of amphiphilic diblock copolymers with insoluble blocks of different hydrophobicity and demonstrated that the condition to obtain dynamic micelles is to design samples with insoluble blocks of low enough hydrophobicity. We focus here on results with new water-soluble amphiphilic diblock copolymers poly(diethyleneglycol ethylether acrylate)-b-poly(acrylic acid), or PDEGA-b-PAA. The physical characteristics of PDEGA-b-PAA micelles at high ionization have been determined by small angle neutron scattering (SANS). We show that PDEGA-b-PAA samples form micelles at thermodynamic equilibrium. The critical micelle concentrations (CMCs) decrease strongly with ionic strength and temperature due to a solvent quality decrease for, respectively, the corona and the core. This behavior of reversible aggregation is remarkable as compared to the behavior of kinetically frozen aggregation that has been widely observed with samples of similar architecture and different hydrophobic blocks, for example, poly(styrene)-b-poly(acrylic acid), PS-b-PAA, and poly(butyl acrylate)-b-poly(acrylic acid), PBA-b-PAA. We have measured the interfacial tension between water and the homopolymers PDEGA and PBA at, respectively, 3 and 20 mN/m at room temperature, which permits one to estimate the energy cost to extract a unimer from a micelle. The results are consistent with a micelle association that is fast for PDEGA-b-PAA and kinetically frozen PBA-b-PAA. Hence, PDEGA-b-PAA samples form a new system of synthetic charged macrosurfactant with unique properties of fast dynamic association, tunable charge, and water solubility even at temperatures and NaCl concentrations as high as 65 °C and 1 M.     

Structures of “crew-cut” aggregates of polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid) diblock copolymers

“Crew-cut” aggregates of polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid) block copolymers can be prepared by dissolving the copolymers in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and adding water to the solution to induce aggregation of the styrene segments of the copolymer chains. The aggregates are formed at near-equilibrium conditions, and their structures are subsequently frozen by isolating them into aqueous solution by dialysis. Aggregates of a number of different morphologies have been prepared. The morphologies, identified by transmission electron microscopy, consist of spheres, rods, vesicles, lamellae, large compound vesicles, large compound micelles, etc. The formation of aggregates of different morphologies can be controlled by varying the copolymer composition, by changing the initial copolymer concentration in DMF, by adding ions (e.g. NaCl, CaCl₂, HCl and NaOH, etc), or by adding homopolystyrene.     

Thermo-Responsive Hydrogels Based on Branched Poly(L-lactide)-poly(ethylene glycol) Copolymers

Summary: Branched poly(L -lactide)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLLA-PEG) block copolymers were synthesized from trifunctional PLLA and amine functionalized methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)s. The copolymers in water formed hydrogels that showed thermo-responsive behavior. The hydrogels underwent a gel to sol transition with increasing temperature as determined with the vial tilting method and oscillatory rheology. For all copolymers, the transition temperature increased with increasing copolymer concentration. The transition temperature of corresponding branched copolymers also increased with increasing PEG molecular weight, and surprisingly decreased with increasing molecular weight of the PLLA branches. In general, the gel-sol transition is explained by disruption of micellar or aggregate interactions because of partial dehydration and shrinkage of the PEG chains. An increase in the molecular weight of the PLLA branches led to the formation of micelles and aggregates as observed with DLS at low concentrations. It is speculated that the non-uniform size distribution and possible crystallization of longer PLLA blocks may have a negative effect on the formation of micellar packing upon gelation, allowing the disruption of micellar or aggregate interactions to occur at lower temperatures. The transition temperature of the gels could be tuned closely to body temperature by varying the concentration of the solution or the molecular weight of the PEG block and the PLLA blocks, which implies that these polymers may be used as injectable systems for in-situ gel formation.     

Distribution of emulsified monomers with different water solubility

The location and distribution of acrylic acid and styrene in emulsions made with a cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), or an anionic surfactant, sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), were determined with ultra-violet spectroscopy, conductivity, and potentiometry. In these systems, the acrylic acid remains in the aqueous phase near the micelle surface, whereas the styrene is located in the micelles or in emulsified droplets. In the absence of acrylic acid, some of the styrene is solubilized in the micelle interior and some is adsorbed at the micelle inner surface. Upon addition of acrylic acid, all the styrene is displaced to the center of the micelles. The interaction between acrylic acid and CTAB micelles is stronger than that between acrylic acid and SDS micelles. With CTAB, acrylic acid is adsorbed at the micelle surface, whereas with SDS, acrylic acid remains in the intermicellar solution. These differences can account for the differences reported in the emulsion copolymerization of acrylic acid and styrene using CTAB or SDS.     

Boltzmann distributions and slow relaxation in systems with spherical and cylindrical micelles

Equilibrium and nonequilibrium distributions of molecular aggregates in a solution of a nonionic surfactant are investigated at the total surfactant concentration above the second critical micelle concentration (CMC2). The investigation is not limited by the choice of a specific micellar model. Expressions for the direct and reverse fluxes of molecular aggregates over the potential humps of the aggregation work are derived. These aggregation work humps set up activation barriers for the formation of spherical and cylindrical micelles. With the aid of the expressions for molecular aggregate fluxes, a set of two kinetic equations of micellization is derived. This set, along with the material balance equation, describes the molecular mechanism of the slow relaxation of micellar solution above the CMC2. A realistic situation has been analyzed when the CMC2 exceeds the first critical micelle concentration, CMC1, by an order of magnitude, and the total surfactant concentration varies within the range lying markedly above the CMC2 but not by more than 2 orders of magnitude. For such conditions, an equation relating the parameters of the aggregation work of a cylindrical micelle to the observable ratio of the total surfactant concentration and the monomer concentration is found for an equilibrium solution. For the same conditions, but in the nonequilibrium state of materially isolated surfactant solution, a closed set of linearized relaxation equations for total concentrations of spherical and cylindrical micelles is derived. These equations determine the time development of two modes of slow relaxation in micellar solutions markedly above the CMC2. Solving the set of equations yields two rates and two times of slow relaxation.     

Aggregation work at polydisperse micellization: ideal solution and "dressed micelle" models comparing to molecular dynamics simulations

General thermodynamic relations for the work of polydisperse micelle formation in the model of ideal solution of molecular aggregates in nonionic surfactant solution and the model of "dressed micelles" in ionic solution have been considered. In particular, the dependence of the aggregation work on the total concentration of nonionic surfactant has been analyzed. The analogous dependence for the work of formation of ionic aggregates has been examined with regard to existence of two variables of a state of an ionic aggregate, the aggregation numbers of surface active ions and counterions. To verify the thermodynamic models, the molecular dynamics simulations of micellization in nonionic and ionic surfactant solutions at two total surfactant concentrations have been performed. It was shown that for nonionic surfactants, even at relatively high total surfactant concentrations, the shape and behavior of the work of polydisperse micelle formation found within the model of the ideal solution at different total surfactant concentrations agrees fairly well with the numerical experiment. For ionic surfactant solutions, the numerical results indicate a strong screening of ionic aggregates by the bound counterions. This fact as well as independence of the coefficient in the law of mass action for ionic aggregates on total surfactant concentration and predictable behavior of the "waterfall" lines of surfaces of the aggregation work upholds the model of "dressed" ionic aggregates.     

Reorganization of hydrogen-bonded block copolymer complexes

Poly(styrene)-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) copolymers and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) have been mixed in organic solvents. Complexation via hydrogen bonding occurs between the P4VP and PAA blocks. Those insoluble complexes aggregate to form the core of micelles surrounded by a corona of PS chains. Reorganization of these structures occurs upon addition of acidic or basic water, which results in the breaking of the hydrogen bonds between the P4VP and PAA blocks. After transfer of the initial complexes in acidic water, micelles consisting of a PS core and a protonated P4VP corona are observed. In basic water, well-defined nanoparticles formed by the PS-b-P4VP copolymers are obtained. It is demonstrated that these nanoparticles are stabilized by the negatively charged PAA chains. Finally, thermally induced disintegration of the micelles is investigated in organic solvents.