Concentration, temperature, and salt-induced micellization of a triblock copolymer Pluronic L64 in aqueous media

The effect of copolymer concentration, temperature, and sodium halides (NaI, NaBr, NaCl, and NaF) on micellization and micellar properties of a poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(propylene oxide)-block-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO-PPO-PEO) amphiphilic copolymer (Pluronic L64: EO13PO30EO13), was examined by different methods such as dye spectral change, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), small angle neutron scattering (SANS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), viscosity, and cloud point (CP). Temperature/polymer concentration/salt dependent aggregation behavior of L64 was observed. The data on critical micelle concentration (CMC), critical micelle temperature (CMT), (CP), micelle size, and shape are reported. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) showed temperature dependent changes in C-O-C stretching variation band towards higher wave numbers and broadening of band width during the micellization process; this was attributed to increase in proportion of the anhydrous methyl groups, while the proportion of the hydrated methyl groups was decreased. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) provides CMTs and CPs from the same experiment. CMC values derived from dye spectral change, decrease significantly with the addition of salt. The increases in salt/copolymer concentration lower the onset temperature of micellization (CMT). Halide anions influence both CMT and CP in the order of F− > Cl− > Br− > I− when total salt and copolymer concentration kept constant. SANS results show the increase of inter-micellar interaction due to the increase in temperature/salt concentration; this is supported by viscosity data.