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Updated: Jul 16, 2026

Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by π-π Stacking Interactions
Published on: October 10, 2016
Reorganization of hydrogen-bonded block copolymer complexes
Nathalie Lefèvre1, Charles-André Fustin, Jean-François Gohy
1Unité de Chimie des Matériaux Inorganiques et Organiques (CMAT) and Research Center in Micro- and Nano-Materials and Electronic Devices (CeRMiN), Université catholique de Louvain, Place L. Pasteur 1, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Abstract:
Poly(styrene)-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) copolymers and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) have been mixed in organic solvents. Complexation via hydrogen bonding occurs between the P4VP and PAA blocks. Those insoluble complexes aggregate to form the core of micelles surrounded by a corona of PS chains. Reorganization of these structures occurs upon addition of acidic or basic water, which results in the breaking of the hydrogen bonds between the P4VP and PAA blocks. After transfer of the initial complexes in acidic water, micelles consisting of a PS core and a protonated P4VP corona are observed. In basic water, well-defined nanoparticles formed by the PS-b-P4VP copolymers are obtained. It is demonstrated that these nanoparticles are stabilized by the negatively charged PAA chains. Finally, thermally induced disintegration of the micelles is investigated in organic solvents.
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