| Amphiphilic triblock copolymer nanospheres were prepared from poly(butyl methacrylate)-block-poly(2-trimethylsilyloxyethyl methacrylate)- block-poly(t-butyl acrylate) (PBMA-b-PCEMA- b-PtBA). The polymer PBMA-b-P(TMS-HEMA)- b-PtBA was first synthesized by living anionic polymerization and functionalized to prepare PBMA-b-PCEMA-b-PtBA. NMR, SLS and GPC studies were used to characterize the triblock copolymer.; The polymer formed mixed corona spherical micelles in a selective solvent mixture of isopropanol with 1% THF. PBMA and PtBA were shown to co-exist in the corona of these micelles by NMR. Micelles were photo-crosslinked to prepare nanospheres. A selective ester cleavage of the PtBA block resulted in poly(acrylic acid). The co-existence of polyelectrolyte and non-polar (PBMA) polymer chains in the corona was expected to impart amphiphilic properties to the nanospheres. This was demonstrated by nanosphere dispersion in toluene, THF, isopropanol and alkaline and neutral aqueous solutions. |
