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Micellization and phase separation for triblock copolymer 17R4 in H2O and in D2O.

Alison Huff¹, Kelly Patton, Hosanna Odhner

¹Department of Physics, The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio 44691, United States.

Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids

|January 20, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The reverse Pluronic copolymer 17R4 exhibits distinct phase transitions in water and heavy water, with critical temperatures differing slightly between H2O and D2O. Polydispersity influences micellar species behavior and phase separation dynamics.

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Area of Science:

Polymer Science
Physical Chemistry
Materials Science

Background:

Reverse Pluronic triblock copolymers, like 17R4 (PPO(14)-PEO(24)-PPO(14)), exhibit complex phase behavior in aqueous solutions.
These copolymers undergo transitions including micellization at lower temperatures and liquid-liquid phase separation at higher temperatures.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the phase boundaries, cloud point curves, and coexistence curves for 17R4 in both H2O and D2O.
To analyze the influence of isotopic substitution (H2O vs. D2O) on the copolymer's phase behavior.
To assess the applicability of the Ising model to describe the phase separation near the critical composition.

Main Methods:

Determination of phase boundaries, including micellization lines and cloud point curves.
Characterization of coexistence curves for liquid-liquid phase separation.
Application of the Ising model for thermodynamic analysis near critical points.

Main Results:

17R4 displays lower consolute temperatures and phase separation behaviors that differ from cloud point curve minima in both H2O and D2O, suggesting micellar polydispersity.
The critical composition for phase separation is consistently 0.22 ± 0.01 volume fraction in both solvents.
Critical temperatures are 44.8 °C in H2O and 43.6 °C in D2O, with the 17R4/D2O cloud point curve being up to 9 °C lower than in H2O.

Conclusions:

The observed phase behavior indicates the presence of polydisperse micellar species influencing phase separation.
The Ising model effectively describes the coexistence curves near the critical composition.
Isotopic effects of water significantly impact the phase transition temperatures and curves of the Pluronic copolymer.