title: Macromolecule-to-amphiphile conversion process of a polyoxometalate-polymer hybrid and assembled hybrid vesicles.
abstract: We report our findings on the macromolecule-to-amphiphile conversion process of a polyoxometalate-polymer hybrid and the assembled hybrid vesicles formed by aggregation of the hybrid amphiphile. The polyoxometalate-polymer hybrid is composed of a polyoxometalate (POM) cluster, which is covered by five tetrabutylammonium (Bu(4)N(+)) countercations, and a polystyrene (PS) chain. Through a cation-exchange process the Bu(4)N(+) countercations can be replaced by protons to form a hybrid amphiphile composed of a hydrophilic, protonated POM cluster and a hydrophobic PS chain. By implementing a directed one-dimensional diffusion and analyzing the diffusion data, we confirmed that the diffusion of solvated protons rather than macromolecules or aggregates is the key factor controlling the conversion process. Once the giant hybrid amphiphiles were formed, they immediately assembled into kinetically favored vesicular aggregates. During subsequent annealing these vesicular aggregates were transformed into thermodynamically stable vesicular aggregates with a perfect vesicle structure. The success in the preparation of the POM-containing hybrid vesicles provides us with an opportunity of preparing POM-functionalized vesicles.
authors: Center for Synthetic Soft Materials, Key Laboratory of Functional Polymer Materials of the Ministry of Education, Institute of Polymer Chemistry, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, P.R. China.
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Xiao
authors: Yao-Kun
authors: YK
authors: Han
authors: Nan
authors: N
authors: Xia
authors: Min-Biao
authors: MB
authors: Hu
authors: Ping
authors: P
authors: Zheng
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D007700:Kinetics; D046911:Macromolecular Substances / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D010316:Particle Size; D011137:Polystyrenes / Q000737:chemistry*; D012995:Solubility; D013499:Surface Properties; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D017973:Tungsten Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D000099294:Polyoxometalates
chemical_list: D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011137:Polystyrenes; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; D017973:Tungsten Compounds; C102296:polyoxometalate I; D000099294:Polyoxometalates