| 483. Vyhnalkova, R.; Müller, A.H.E.; Eisenberg, A.: Control of Corona Composition and Morphology in Aggregates of Mixtures of PS-b-PAA and PS-b-P4VP Diblock Copolymers. Effect of pH and Block Length, Langmuir 30, 5031-5040 (2014) -- DOI: 10.1021/la500712b | |
| Abstract: The corona compositions and morphologies in aggregates of mixtures of amphiphilic polystyrene-block-poly(acrylic acid) (PS-b-PAA) and polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) diblock copolymers are influenced by controllable assembly parameters such as the hydrophilic block lengths and solution pH. The morphologies and corona compositions of the aggregates were investigated by transmission electron microscopy and electrophoretic mobility, respectively. When mineral acids or bases are present during aggregate formation, they can exert a strong influence on the corona composition. Morphology changes were also seen with changing pH, as well as changes in corona composition, specifically for vesicles. Because of complications introduced by the presence of ions, the general hypothesis that the external corona of the vesicles is composed of the longer chains, while the shorter chains form the inner corona, is valid only in mixtures containing only non-ionic chains without any additives (no acids or bases) or within a well-defined narrow pH range. In addition to the numerical block lengths and the pH, the solubility of the hydrophilic blocks can also influence the morphology and as well as the interfacial composition of vesicles; as the numerically longer chains become less soluble, they can contract and move to the interior, while the numerically shorter but more soluble chains go to the external corona. A remarkable morphological feature of the pH continuum is that for some compositions vesicles are observed in four distinct pH regions, separated by pH ranges in which other morphologies dominate. The effect of pH and micro-ion content on coil dimensions of PVP and PAA chain in the block copolymers is most likely responsible for the observed behavior. |
Prof. Dr. Axel Müller
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