Amphiphilic diblock copolymers, chain structures consisting of two regions with differing solubility properties, are intriguing due to their ability to aggregate into shell-core micelles which show great promise as medicinal transport structures. Acrylate based copolymers, such as methyl acrylate and acrylic acid, which possess an a-proton on the polymer backbone, show a great degree of chain flexibility.  Previous micellization experiments have confirmed that rigid, methyl-substituted methacrylates form micelle structures even with relatively low molecular weight hydrophobic cores.  Under similar conditions, the more flexible acrylate-based polymers showed no micellization. The additional intermolecular hydrophobic interactions caused by increasing the flexible hydrophobic block length is currently under investigation by 1H-NMR relaxation experiments.  The traditional micelle model of a rigid hydrophobic core and flexible hydrophilic shell is being reconsidered to include the effects of hydrophobic chain length.  Our current research provides additional insight into the conventional micellar transport model in synthesizing an effective polymeric device targeting cancerous cells in the body.

Micellization of acrylate-based amphiphilic block copolymers as a function of hydrophobic core chain length: An investigation into the effects of chain rigidity and molecular weight on self-assembly

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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