Electrostatic hierarchical co-assembly in aqueous solutions of two oppositely charged double hydrophilic diblock copolymers

Voets, Ilja K.; Keizer, Arie de; Leermakers, Frans A.M.; Debuigne, Antoine; Jérôme, Robert; Detrembleur, Christophe; Cohen Stuart, Martien A.

doi:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2009.06.020

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Journal article

Electrostatic hierarchical co-assembly in aqueous solutions of two oppositely charged double hydrophilic diblock copolymers

Voets, Ilja K. Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science, Wageningen University, The Netherlands - Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Switzerland
Keizer, Arie de Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Leermakers, Frans A.M. Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science, Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Debuigne, Antoine Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules, University of Liège, Belgium
Jérôme, Robert Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules, University of Liège, Belgium
Detrembleur, Christophe Center for Education and Research on Macromolecules, University of Liège, Belgium
Cohen Stuart, Martien A. Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Colloid Science, Wageningen University, The Netherlands

30.06.2009

Published in:

European Polymer Journal. - 2009, vol. 45, no. 10, p. 2913-2925

English The formation of spherical micelles in aqueous solutions of poly(N-methyl-2-vinyl pyridinium iodide)-block-poly(ethylene oxide), P2MVP-b-PEO and poly(acrylic acid)-block-poly(vinyl alcohol), PAA-b-PVOH has been investigated with light scattering-titrations, dynamic and static light scattering, and ¹H 2D Nuclear Overhauser Effect Spectroscopy. Complex coacervate core micelles, also called PIC micelles, block ionomer complexes, and interpolyelectrolyte complexes, are formed in thermodynamic equilibrium under charge neutral conditions (pH 8, 1 mM NaNO₃, T = 25 °C) through electrostatic interaction between the core-forming P2MVP and PAA blocks. 2D ¹H NOESY NMR experiments show no cross-correlations between PEO and PVOH blocks, indicating their segregation in the micellar corona. Self-consistent field calculations support the conclusion that these C3Ms are likely to resemble a ‘patched micelle’; that is, micelles featuring a ‘spheres-on-sphere’ morphology.

Faculty

Faculté des sciences et de médecine

Department

AMI - Soft Nanoscience

Language