Work

Formation of Well‐Defined Block Copolymer Vesicles with a Narrow Distribution Induced by Targeted Hydrolysis of Silyl Ether Bond in a PEG‐PDMS‐PEG Triblock Copolymer

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT Base‐catalyzed ring opening polymerization (ROP) of cyclosiloxane D3 was conducted using various alcohols as initiators to produce end‐group functional poly(dimethylsiloxane)(PDMS). To demonstrate the concept for vesicle formation, a poly(ethylene glycol)‐b‐poly(dimethyl siloxane)‐b‐poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG‐PDMS‐PEG) triblock copolymer, where one PEG block was attached through a stable carbosilane bond while the other PEG was coupled through a hydrolytically labile silyl ether linkage was prepared. Non‐catalyzed hydrolysis of this copolymer in aqueous suspension led to a slow transformation of the triblock into the corresponding diblock copolymer and, conversely, to the transformation of the initially formed large aggregates into well‐defined vesicles with a diameter of less than 100 nm over one week. In contrast, a control triblock copolymer with the same composition but without the silyl ether bond did not change morphology.

Source: Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics

DOI: 10.1002/macp.202400470

Authors: Karolis Norinkevicius, Jeppe Madsen, Torsten Høybye Bak Regueira, Anders E. Daugaard

Institution: Technical University of Denmark

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Polymer Synthesis and Characterization

Subfield: Organic Chemistry

Field: Chemistry

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $4,220

Funder: Innovationsfonden