Platelet self-assembly of an amphiphilic A-B-C-A tetrablock copolymer in pure water

Document Type

Article

Date of Original Version

5-3-2005

Abstract

A new principle demonstrated for controlling the self-assembly of amphiphilic tetrablock copolymer molecules and to explore the possibility of designing such amphiphilic molecules was discussed. The approach used an ABCA tetrablock copolymer with hydrophilic A blocks and hydrophobic B and C blocks. It was found that the molecular weight of each of the blocks was about 35 kg/mol. Experiments showed that the platelets with lateral dimensions in the 100-300 nm range formed spontaneously in dilute ABCA/water mixture at 45°C. The work provided a systematic study of the aggregation of amphiphilic ABCA tetrablock copolymers as a function of molecular architecture and solvent quality.

Publication Title, e.g., Journal

Macromolecules

Volume

38

Issue

9

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