Self-assembly of well-defined amphiphilic poly(N-(2-methacryloylxyethyl)pyrrolidone)- poly(lauryl methacrylate) diblock copolymers in non-polar solvent

• Published in: Colloids and surfaces. A, Physicochemical and engineering aspects Vol. 577; pp. 493 - 499
• Main Authors: He, Xiaolong, Li, Xuefeng, Dong, Jinfeng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 20.09.2019
• Subjects: Glass transition; Poly(lauryl methacrylate)-poly(N-(2-methacryloylxyethyl)pyrrolidone); RAFT; Self-Assembly; Structure-property relationship; Glass transition; Self-Assembly; RAFT; Poly(lauryl methacrylate)-poly(N-(2-methacryloylxyethyl)pyrrolidone); Structure-property relationship
• ISSN: 0927-7757; 1873-4359
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2019.05.095

[Display omitted] A family of amphiphilic diblock copolymers poly(lauryl methacrylate)-poly(N-(2-methacryloylxyethyl)pyrrolidone) (PLMA-PNMP) were developed by the reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) solution polymerization method. The self-assembly behaviors of developed copolymers in the selective solvent, n-dodecane, were studied in detail by employing static light scattering, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy and rheology measurements, and the structure-property relationship of them was also established accordingly. It was noticed that the morphologies of formed aggregates were affected by temperature apparently because of the glass transition temperature (Tg) of PNMP segments. Generally speaking, spherical micelles, cylindrical micelles and vesicles were gradually formed upon increasing the degree of polymerization (DP) of PNMP segment at the constant DP of PLMA above Tg. However, nanoparticles with particular morphologies would be formed below Tg because of the Tg-induced solidification of PNMP core, resulting in apparent temperature-induced sol-gel transitions. For example, spherical micelles were formed spontaneously in 15 wt% PLMA19-PNMP39 solution at 85 °C, whereas nanoparticles with wormlike morphology were formed at 25 °C instead. The present work not only established the structure-property relationship of PLMA-PNMP copolymers, but also contributes to understand the nature of polymerization-induced self-assembly as well.