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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by π-π Stacking Interactions
Published on: October 10, 2016
Topology-directed control on thermal stability: micelles formed from linear and cyclized amphiphilic block copolymers
Satoshi Honda1, Takuya Yamamoto, Yasuyuki Tezuka
1Department of Organic and Polymeric Materials, Tokyo Institute of Technology, O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan.
Abstract:
The thermal stability of a self-assembled micelle was remarkably enhanced by a topology effect. Linear poly(butyl acrylate)-block-poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(butyl acrylate) (1) and the cyclized product, poly(butyl acrylate)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (2), were self-assembled to form flower-like micelles. By means of viscometry, the critical micelle concentrations were determined to be 0.13 and 0.14 mg/mL for 1 and 2, respectively. Dynamic light scattering, atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy studies revealed that both micelles are spherical and approximately 20 nm in diameter. Despite no distinctive change in the chemical composition or structure of the micelle, we found that the cloud point (T(c)) was elevated by more than 40 degrees C through the linear-to-cyclic topological conversion of the polymer amphiphile. Furthermore, the T(c) was tuned by coassembly of 1 and 2.
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