Amphiphilic cholesteryl-bearing carboxymethylcellulose derivatives: self-assembly and rheological behaviour in aqueous solution

Abstract

The self-assembly of amphiphilic cholesteryl-bearing carboxymethylcellulose derivatives (CCMCs) from individual molecules to self-aggregates, in addition to their rheological behaviour in aqueous solution were investigated. The conformations of the individual CCMC individual molecules and self-aggregates, and the microstructures of CCMC self-aggregates were characterized using the static and dynamic light scattering analyses, and the steady fluorescence technology. The results showed that the individual CCMC chains became compact, and aqueous NaCl solution changed from an approximate θ solvent to a bad one when the number of hydrophobic cholesteryl groups increased. The CCMC self-aggregates exhibited as compact spheres. The microstructural characterization indicated that one CCMC self-aggregate consisted of multiple individual CCMC molecules and hydrophobic microdomains, and multiple cholesteryl groups self-associated into one hydrophobic microdomain. The atomic force microscopy images of CCMC self-aggregates in phase mode showed that the multiple interior hydrophobic phase separation regions were surrounded by hydrophilic polysaccharide chains, providing an evidence for multiple hydrophobic microdomains in one self-aggregate. The rheological analysis proved that the CCMC self-aggregates were a microgel, in which the associations of cholesteryl groups provided multiple cross-linking points in the polymer network. The microgel solutions displayed a unique thixotropy and a shear thinning behaviour.