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  4. Aggregation Behavior of Poly(ethylene glycol-bl-propylene sulfide) Di- and Triblock Copolymers in Aqueous Solution
 
research article

Aggregation Behavior of Poly(ethylene glycol-bl-propylene sulfide) Di- and Triblock Copolymers in Aqueous Solution

Cerritelli, Simona
•
O'Neil, Conlin P.
•
Velluto, Diana
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2009
Langmuir

Block copolymers of poly(ethylene glycol)-bl-poly(propylene sulfide) (PEG-PPS) have recently emerged as a new macromolecular amphiphile capable of forming a wide range of morphologies when dispersed in water. To understand better the relationship between stability and morphology in terms of the relative and absolute block compositions, we have synthesized a collection of PEG-PPS block copolymers and quantified their critical aggregation concentration and observed their morphology using cryogenic transmission electron microscopy after thin film hydration with extrusion and after solvent dispersion from tetrahydrofuran, a solvent for both blocks. By understanding the relationship between aggregate character and block copolymer architecture, we have observed that whereas the relative block lengths control morphology, the stability of the aggregates upon dilution is determined by the absolute block length of the hydrophobic PPS block. We have compared results obtained with PEG-BPS to those obtained with poly(ethylene glycol)-bl-poly(propylene oxide)-bl-poly(ethylene glycol) block copolymers (Pluronics). The results reveal that the PEG-PPS aggregates are substantially more stable than Pluronic aggregates, by more than an order of magnitude. PEG-PPS can form a wide variety of stable or metastable morphologies in dilute solution within normal time and temperature ranges, whereas Pluronics can generally form only spherical micelles under the same conditions. On the basis of these results, block copolymers of PEG with poly(propylene sulfide) may present distinct advantages over those with poly(propylene glycol) for a number of applications.

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Type
research article
DOI
10.1021/la900649m
Web of Science ID

WOS:000270136900026

Author(s)
Cerritelli, Simona
O'Neil, Conlin P.
Velluto, Diana
Fontana, Antonella
Adrian, Marc
Dubochet, Jacques
Hubbell, Jeffrey A.  
Date Issued

2009

Published in
Langmuir
Volume

25

Start page

11328

End page

11335

Subjects

Cryo-Electron Microscopy

•

Acid) Block-Copolymers

•

Drug-Delivery

•

Poly(Propylene Oxide)

•

Nonionic Surfactant

•

Diblock Copolymers

•

Fluorescence Probe

•

Micelle Formation

•

Polymer Vesicles

•

Micellization

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
LMRP  
Available on Infoscience
November 30, 2010
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/59834
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