Work

Micellization Studies of Block Copolymers of Poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) and n-Alkyl-Substituted Poly(vinyl esters) in Tetrahydrofuran

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The association behavior of amphiphilic block copolymers of N-vinyl pyrrolidone (NVP) and several vinyl esters (Ves) (PNVP-b-PVEs), as exemplified by vinyl butyrate (VBu), vinyl decanoate (VDc), and vinyl stearate (VSt), was studied in tetrahydrofuran (THF), which serves as the selective solvent for the PVE blocks. Static (SLS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques were adopted as the tools to investigate micellar properties and acquire information regarding the degree of association, the hydrodynamic radii, and the shape of the aggregates. In addition, CONTIN analysis provided insights concerning the association equilibria in THF solutions. The effect of the chemical structure of the corona-forming PVE block on the association process was investigated. Finally, the experimental results were compared with those obtained in previous studies describing the micellization properties of block copolymers consisting of PNVP and polymethacrylate blocks in the same selective solvent.

Source: Polymers

DOI: 10.3390/polym17212842

Authors: Nikoletta Roka, Vasileios-Christos Skiadas, Areti Kolovou, Theodosia-Panagiota Papazoglou, Marinos Pitsikalis

Institution: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Polymer Synthesis and Characterization

Subfield: Organic Chemistry

Field: Chemistry

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,258

Funders: European Commission, State Scholarships Foundation, European Social Fund