Cylindrical Micelles from the Aqueous Self-Assembly of an Amphiphilic Poly¬(ethylene oxide)-b-Poly(ferrocenylsilane) (PEO-b-PFS) Block Copolymer with a Metallo-supramolecular Linker at the Block Junction
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Gohy, Jean-Francois; Lohmeijer, Bas G. G.; Alexeev, Alexander; Wang, Xiao-Song; Manners, Ian; Winnik, Mitchell A.; Schubert, Ulrich S.
- Abstract:
- A supramolecular AB diblock
copolymer has been prepared by
the sequential self-assembly of terpyridine
end-functionalized polymer blocks
by using RuIII/RuII chemistry. By this
synthetic strategy a hydrophobic poly-
(ferrocenylsilane) (PFS) was attached
to a hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide)
(PEO) block to give an amphiphilic
metallo-supramolecular diblock copolymer
(PEO/PFS block ratio 6:1). This
compound was used to form micelles in
water that were characterized by a
combination of dynamic and static light
scattering, transmission electron microscopy,
and atomic force microscopy.
These complementary techniques
showed that the copolymers investigated
form rod-like micelles in water; the
micelles have a constant diameter but
are rather polydisperse in length, and
light scattering measurements indicate
that they are flexible. Crystallization of
the PFS in these micelles was observed
by differential scanning calorimetry,
and is thought to be the key behind the
formation of rod-like structures. The
cylindrical micelles can be cleaved into
smaller rods whenever the temperature
of the solution is increased or they are
exposed to ultrasound.
- Year:
- 2004
- Type of Publication:
- Article
- Keywords:
- block copolymers; micelles; poly ferrocenylsilanes; self assembly; supramolecular chemistry
- Journal:
- Chemistry - A European Journal
- Volume:
- 10
- Pages:
- 4315 – 4323