Summary: A pH‐sensitive block copolymer is synthesized by step polymerization and its pH‐sensitive micellization‐demicellization behavior is studied. This polymer has a hydrophilic MPEG (shell) and hydrophobic but pH‐sensitive poly(β‐amino ester) (core), which can form a self‐assembled micelle. As confirmed by fluorescence spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS), this polymer shows a sharp pH‐sensitive micellization‐demicellization behavior. It is confirmed that the pH sensitivity is affected by the molecular weight ratio between the MPEG and poly(β‐amino ester).
Plots of the intensity ratio I337/I334 (from pyrene excitation spectra): a) vs. pH for copolymer samples and b) vs. log (concentration) for M1.
