Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 18, 2026

Anionic Polymerization of an Amphiphilic Copolymer for Preparation of Block Copolymer Micelles Stabilized by π-π Stacking Interactions
Published on: October 10, 2016
Multiple phase transition and scaling law for poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)
1School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University , 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore.
Abstract:
The multiple phase transition and the scaling behavior of a poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer (Pluronic F127, PEO100-PPO65-PEO100) have been studied by micro-differential scanning calorimetry and rheology. The scaling behavior of the triblock copolymer was examined using the Winter-Chambon criterion to obtain the critical gel temperature Tgel and the scaling exponent n. n was found to decrease linearly with increasing copolymer concentration. A stable hard gel was formed, but the hard gel was transformed into a soft gel upon further heating. Increasing copolymer concentration led to the increase in the temperature of hard-soft gel transition, while the sol-gel transition temperature decreased with increasing copolymer concentration. A phase diagram has been determined, which is able to classify unimers, micelles, hard gel, and soft gel regions upon heating. In addition, the scaling relation of the plateau modulus Ge with copolymer concentration was also obtained as Ge ≈ c(3.0) for both soft gel and hard gel.
More Related Videos
09:02Using Polystyrene-block-polyacrylic acid-coated Metal Nanoparticles as Monomers for Their Homo- and Co-polymerization
Published on: July 9, 2015
11:42Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers
Published on: June 20, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Characteristics and Nomenclature of Copolymers
Radical Chain-Growth Polymerization: Chain Branching
Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers
As the step-growth polymerization involves step-wise condensation of monomers, the molecular weight also builds up eventually. Consequently, high molecular weight polymers are obtained at the late stages of the polymerization, where 99% of monomers have been consumed.
The extent of the...
Polymer Classification: Architecture
Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...