Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
5209761 Reactive and Functional Polymers 2015 8 Pages PDF
Abstract
Star-shaped copolymers with four and six poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (S(PCL-b-PNVCL)) arms were successfully synthesized by combining ring opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (CL) and reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of N-vinylcaprolactam (NVCL). The resulting star copolymers were characterized using 1H NMR, GPC and UV-vis. The numbers of arms in the star-shaped PCL-b-PNVCL block copolymers were demonstrated using degradation studies under acidic conditions, and the individual PNVCL chains were characterized by GPC and 1H NMR. In aqueous solution, star-shaped PCL-b-PNVCL block copolymers self-assembled into large aggregates or micelles with sizes varying from 54 to 300 nm, depending on the molecular weight of the copolymer and the relative lengths of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments. Micelles were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Chemistry Organic Chemistry
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