title: Effect of arm exchange on the liquid-solid transition of dense suspensions of star polymers.
abstract: Star polymers with dynamic arm exchange are formed in water by self-assembly of amphiphilic diblock copolymers based on poly(ethylene oxide) end capped with a small hydrophobic block. The arm exchange was arrested in situ by photo-cross-linking of the core. The effect of dynamic arm exchange on the osmotic compressibility and viscosity was investigated systematically as a function of the concentration and temperature. The discontinuous liquid-solid transition reported for dense polymeric micelle suspensions was found to be preserved after dynamic arm exchange was arrested in situ. The effect of cross-linking and aggregation number on the liquid-solid transition was investigated.
authors.affiliation: Institut des Molécules et Matériaux du Mans (UMR CNRS 6283), LUNAM, Université du Maine , Avenue Olivier Messiaen, 72085 Le Mans Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Fanny
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Puaud
authors.forename: Taco
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nicolai
authors.forename: Lazhar
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Benyahia
authors.forename: Erwan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nicol