title: Brush-type amphiphilic diblock copolymers from "living"/controlled radical polymerizations and their aggregation behavior.
abstract: Two brush-type amphiphilic diblock copolymers, poly(poly(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate-block-polystyrene) (P(PEGMA)-b-PS) and poly(glycidyl methacrylate)-block-poly(poly(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate) (P(GMA)-b-P(PEGMA)) were synthesized, respectively, via consecutive atom-transfer radical polymerizations (ATRPs) and reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer (RAFT) polymerizations. The diblock copolymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and FT-IR spectroscopy. The aggregation behavior of the two amphiphilic diblock copolymers in water was also studied. Scanning electron and transmission electron microscopic images revealed that spherical micelles (40-80 nm in diameter) from self-assembly of the P(PEGMA)-b-PS copolymers and wormlike micelles (60-120 nm in length and 20-30 nm in diameter) from self-assembly of the P(GMA)-b-P(PEGMA) copolymers were prevalent. The spherical P(PEGMA)-b-PS micelles could self-assemble gradually into giant aggregates of several micrometers in diameter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore 119260.
authors.forename: Zhenping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Xiulin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: E T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Neoh
mesh_terms: D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D008823:Micelles; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared / Q000379:methods; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D008823:Micelles; D011108:Polymers