Nanomicellization characteristics of amphiphilic block copolymer tricycles in various topologies

Abstract

This study delivers the first report on the nanomicellization characteristics of topologically-controlled tricyclic amphiphiles composed of poly(n-decyl glycidyl ether) and poly(2-(2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy)ethyl glycidyl ether) blocks in equivalent molar fractions: tricy-BCP-A, tricy-BCP-B, and tricy-BCP-C. Both tricy-BCP-A and tricy-BCP-B successfully demonstrated the formation of micelles with narrow unimodal distributions in solutions, whereas tricy-BCP-C failed to form micelles but aggregated in unfeatured manner. The tricy-BCP-A and tricy-BCP-B micelles were formed as well-defined assemblies in stable structural integrity, which consisted of a core, a dense corona, and a solvated corona. The micelle sizes were around five times smaller than that of the linear analogue micelle and around two times smaller than that of the single cyclic analogue micelle. In particular, the tricy-BCP-A topology was more favorable to the formation of micelles with less ellipsoidal shape, in narrower distribution, and with more stable structural integrity. Overall, the remarkable results of this study inform that the tricy-BCP-A topology is a thermodynamically most feasible platform to develop functional amphiphiles for the production of micelles behaving highly stable structural integrity in significantly reduced size and narrow unimodal distribution, which are demanded in advanced technology fields (drug delivery, biomedical imaging, cosmetics, food, smart coating, photonics, molecular electronics, and so on).