| In aqueous media, amphiphilic block copolymers spontaneously self-assemble into nano-sized core-shell structures, termed block copolymer micelles. The ability for researchers to reliably reproduce morphologies in a controlled manner is of great interest because of the potential advantages and applications of copolymer aggregates with varying morphologies. This thesis describes the physico-chemical characteristics of polymer micelles, as well as the parameters which influence morphology in aqueous solution. The purpose of this research was to study the morphology of the amphiphilic block copolymer PEG5000-b-PCL4100 in aqueous solution. It was found that the amphiphilic block copolymer PEG5000-b-PCL 4100 could form long rod-like, short rod-like or spherical aggregates by controlling the copolymer concentration, or through the addition of a PEG-phospholipid to the copolymer. Overall, this research clearly demonstrates the ability to control block copolymer morphology which will inevitably play a pivotal role in the use of non-spherical micelles for pharmaceutical applications. |
