A diblock copolymer consisting of poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) and poly(pentafluorophenyl acrylate) (PPFPA) was synthesized by RAFT polymerization methods. The PPFPA block was then substituted with N,N-diisopropylethylenediamine and the end group modified with one of two hydrophilic groups to form pH-responsive copolymers. The self-assembly properties of these polymers were investigated and shown by TEM and DLS to form micelles at acidic pH and vesicles at basic pH. The encapsulation and controlled release of a hydrophilic dye molecule, Rhodamine B, was demonstrated using fluorescence spectroscopy.
