TY - JOUR A1 - Garnier, Sebastien A1 - Laschewsky, Andre T1 - Non-ionic amphiphilic block copolymers by RAFT-polymerization and their self-organization JF - Colloid and polymer science : official journal of the Kolloid-Gesellschaft N2 - Water-soluble, amphiphilic diblock copolymers were synthesized by reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. They consist of poly(butyl acrylate) as hydrophobic block with a low glass transition temperature and three different nonionic water-soluble blocks, namely, the classical hydrophilic block poly(dimethylacrylamide), the strongly hydrophilic poly(acryloyloxyethyl methylsulfoxide), and the thermally sensitive poly(N-acryloylpyrrolidine). Aqueous micellar solutions of the block copolymers were prepared and characterized by static and dynamic light scattering analysis (DLS and SLS). No critical micelle concentration could be detected. The micellization was thermodynamically favored, although kinetically slow, exhibiting a marked dependence on the preparation conditions. The polymers formed micelles with a hydrodynamic diameter from 20 to 100 nm, which were stable upon dilution. The micellar size was correlated with the composition of the block copolymers and their overall molar mass. The micelles formed with the two most hydrophilic blocks were particularly stable upon temperature cycles, whereas the thermally sensitive poly(N-acryloylpyrrolidine) block showed a temperature-induced precipitation. According to combined SLS and DLS analysis, the micelles exhibited an elongated shape such as rods or worms. It should be noted that the block copolymers with the most hydrophilic poly(sulfoxide) block formed inverse micelles in certain organic solvents. KW - macrosurfactants KW - block copolymers KW - micelles KW - inverse micelles KW - sulfoxide Y1 - 2006 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00396-006-1484-9 SN - 0303-402X VL - 284 SP - 1243 EP - 1254 PB - Springer CY - Berlin ER -