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Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by π-π Stacking Interactions
Published on: October 10, 2016
Polyglycidol based amphiphilic double-comb copolymers and their self-association in aqueous solution
Firat Ozdemir1, Helmut Keul, Ahmed Mourran
1DWI an der RWTH Aachen e.V. and Institut für Technische und Makromolekulare Chemie an der RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstr. 8, D-52056 Aachen, Germany.
Abstract:
Herein, we report synthesis and self-association properties of amphiphilic double-comb polymers with polyglycidol backbones. First, a bifunctional polyglycidol precursor is synthesized via monomer activated anionic polymerization. Next, two efficient and orthogonal polymer analogous reactions are carried out for grafting hydrophilic oligoethylene glycol side chains and hydrophobic linear aliphatic side-chains. The polymers are analyzed by means of NMR, GPC, and DSC. From the DSC analysis of the bulk samples it is evident that aliphatic side chains segregate from the polar backbone and thus crystallize. Furthermore, in aqueous media the double-comb polymers spontaneously self-assemble to form a multilayer structure. The present results pave a way to tailor and design amphiphilic polymers based on glycidols. Major advantages are spontaneous self-assembly in water and the possibility to form onion polymersomes relevant to encapsulation.
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