title: Quadrangular prism: a unique self-assembly from amphiphilic hyperbranched PMA-b-PAA.
abstract: The novel hyperbranched poly(methyl acrylate)-block-poly(acrylic acid)s (HBPMA-b-PAAs) are successfully synthesized via single-electron transfer-living radical polymerization (SET-LRP), followed with hydrolysis reaction. The copolymer solution could spontaneously form unimolecular micelles composed of the hydrophobic core (PMA) and the hydrophilic shell (PAA) in water. Results show that the size of spherical particles increases from 8.18 to 19.18 nm with increased pH from 3.0 to 12.0. Most interestingly, the unique regular quadrangular prisms with the large microstructure (5.70 μm in length, and 0.47 μm in width) are observed by the self-assembly of unimolecular micelles when pH value is below 2. Such self-assembly behavior of HBPMA-b-PAA in solution is significantly influenced by the pH cycle times and concentration, which show that increased polymer concentration favors aggregate growth.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Polymeric Materials of Changzhou City, School of Material Science and Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, 213164, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiaoqiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wenyan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hongjun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Bibiao
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Yiliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Dongliang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jianbo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Lizhi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Guangqun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Jianhai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000179:Acrylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D000180:Acrylic Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008823:Micelles; D015394:Molecular Structure; D058105:Polymerization; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000179:Acrylates; D000180:Acrylic Resins; D008823:Micelles; D011108:Polymers; C006903:carbopol 940; C035956:methyl acrylate
keywords: amphiphiles; hyperbranched; living polymerization; self-assembly