Synthesis of
Poly(propylene oxide)–Poly(N,N′-dimethylacrylamide)
Diblock Copolymer Nanoparticles
via Reverse Sequence Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly in Aqueous
Solution
posted on 2023-12-17, 22:20authored byMatthew
A. H. Farmer, Osama M. Musa, Iris Haug, Stefan Naumann, Steven P. Armes
Sterically-stabilized diblock copolymer nanoparticles
comprising
poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) cores are prepared via reverse sequence
polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) in aqueous solution. N,N′-Dimethylacrylamide (DMAC) acts as a cosolvent
for the weakly hydrophobic trithiocarbonate-capped PPO precursor.
Reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization
of DMAC is initially conducted at 80% w/w solids with deoxygenated
water. At 30–60% DMAC conversion, the reaction mixture is diluted
to 5–25% w/w solids. The PPO chains become less solvated as
the DMAC monomer is consumed, which drives in situ self-assembly to
form aqueous dispersions of PPO-core nanoparticles of 120–190
nm diameter at 20 °C. Such RAFT polymerizations are well-controlled
(Mw/Mn ≤
1.31), and more than 99% DMAC conversion is achieved. The resulting
nanoparticles exhibit thermoresponsive character: dynamic light scattering
and transmission electron microscopy studies indicate the formation
of more compact spherical nanoparticles of approximately 33 nm diameter
on heating to 70 °C. Furthermore, 15–25% w/w aqueous dispersions
of such nanoparticles formed micellar gels that undergo thermoreversible
(de)gelation on cooling to 5 °C.