Melt, hydration, and micellization of the PEO-PPO-PEO block copolymer studied by FTIR spectroscopy

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was used to study the conformational changes of the polyethylene oxide-polypropylene oxide-polyethylene oxide (PEO-PPO-PEO) block copolymer, Pluronic P104, in a large concentration range in a polymer-water system as a function of temperature. The melt in which the conformational transition of the PEO blocks occurs gives remarkable changes in the spectral behavior. A small amount of water in Pluronic P104 can induce the PEO block amorphism. The addition of more water only swells the PEO dominant region and gives no significant difference in the conformational structure of the block copolymer in the ordered phases of Pluronic P104-water mixtures. The PPO blocks of Pluronic P104 are hydrated only in a condition of lower temperature and higher water content. The temperature dependent micellization of Pluronic P104 in water was analyzed by a FTIR spectroscopic method. The appearance of the symmetric deformation band of the anhydrous methyl groups at temperature below the CMT indicates the existence of a hydrophobic microenvironment. The appearance of the symmetric deformation band of the hydrated methyl groups at higher temperatures indicates that the micellar core must contain some amount of water. The results of FTIR data show that the proportion of the anhydrous methyl groups increases and water content in the micellar core decreases during the micellization process.