Preparation of stable micelle-like particles with rigid backbones based on pyridyl-terminated poly (aryl ether ketone)

A new pyridyl-containing phenol (3-(2-hydroxyphenylimine) pyridine, PY-PH) and pyridyl-terminated poly(aryl ether ketone) (PAEK-py) were first synthesized. Furthermore, micelle-like particles were successfully prepared in a selective solvent (water, H2O) based on the graft-like complexes formed by hydrogen-bonding interactions between pyridyl groups of rigid PAEK-py and carboxyl groups of flexible poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) in their common solvent (tetrahydrofuran, THF), as proven by the measurements of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and surface tension. The diameters of the resulted micelle-like particles with PAEK-py as the inner core and PAA as the outer shell were about 100–350 nm. It was found that the formation and size of micelle-like particles depended on pH value and weight ratio of PAEK-py to PAA, respectively. The structure of the micelle-like particles could be stabilized by the cross-linking reaction between pyridyl groups of PAEK-py and 1,4-dibromobutane, and the diameters of the micelle-like particles obviously decreased after the cross-linking reaction due to falling off of the PAA shell of the micelle-like particles.

► A new pyridyl-terminated poly(aryl ether ketone) (PAEK-py) were first synthesized.
► Micelle-like particles based on rigid PAEK-py and flexible PAA were successfully prepared.
► The structure of the micelle-like particles could be stabilized by the cross-linking reaction.