Preparation and Self‐Assembly of Amphiphilic Poly(vinyl alcohol)‐Based Statistical Copolymers in Water
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study investigated the preparation and self‐association behavior in water of amphiphilic statistical copolymers, poly(vinyl alcohol‐ co ‐vinyl laurate) [P(VA/LA x )] ( x = 0, 7, 25, 32, and 41 mol%), composed of hydrophilic vinyl alcohol (VA) and hydrophobic vinyl LA units. These copolymers were synthesized via reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) radical polymerization. Due to their amphiphilic nature, P(VA/LA x ) formed micelles in aqueous solution. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements showed that both the hydrodynamic radius ( R h ) and light scattering intensity (LSI) values increased with increasing LA content, indicating that enhanced hydrophobicity promoted the formation of larger micelles. The copolymers exhibited unimodal size distributions with R h values ranging from 57.3 to 100.4 nm, suggesting the formation of interpolymer aggregates driven by hydrophobic interactions among pendant lauryl units. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the formation of spherical micelles, with sizes consistent with R h values. Static light scattering (SLS) measurements further revealed that the aggregation number increased with higher LA content. The critical micelle concentration (CMC), determined using a pyrene fluorescence probe, decreased with increasing LA composition, ranging from 3.3 to 0.62 × 10 −3 g/L. These findings demonstrate that amphiphilic P(VA/LA x ) copolymers form stable interpolymer micelles in water, with tunable properties governed by their hydrophobic content.
Source: Advances in Polymer Technology
DOI: 10.1155/adv/1721986
Institutions: University of Hyogo, Japan VAM & Poval Co., Ltd. (Japan)
Language: English
Subfield: Organic Chemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,160
OpenAlex ID: W4416462007