title: Thermodynamics of micellization of tapered statistical copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide in water.
abstract: Two tapered statistical copolymers were prepared by the oxyanionic polymerization of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide and characterized by gel permeation chromatography and 13C NMR spectroscopy. We denote the copolymers t-E/P38 and t-E/P30, where E = oxyethylene, OCH2CH2, and P = oxypropylene, OCH2CH(CH3), and the number denotes the mole percentage P. In each case the copolymer chain length was ca. 100 oxyalkylene units. The association of the copolymers to form micelles in aqueous solution was checked by dynamic light scattering. The critical micelle temperatures (cmt) of the copolymers at several concentrations were determined by static light scattering and dye solubilization, and values of the apparent standard enthalpy of micellization (DeltamicHapp0) were obtained. For both copolymers, a low value of DeltamicHapp0 was found when the copolymer concentration exceeded ca. 150 g dm(-3).
authors.affiliation: Physical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 157 71 Athens, Greece. akelar@cc.uoa.gr
authors.forename: Antonis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kelarakis
authors.forename: Shao-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mai
authors.forename: Vasiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Havredaki
authors.forename: Alison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brett
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Booth