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Self-assembly of Gradient Copolymer Synthesized by Spontaneous Batch RAFT Emulsion Polymerization and Its Application on Encapsulating Ag Nanoparticles

  • Organic Materials
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Abstract

The gradient copolymers of acrylic acid and trifluoroethyl methacrylate (coded as P(TFEMA-grad-AA)) were synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation transfer (RAFT) emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization. The spontaneous batch feeding approach was used to control the gradient chain sequence. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed that the P(TFEMA-grad-AA) can self-assemble to form spherical micelles, rodlike micelles or vesicles in selective solvents. Morphological transition of the P(TFEMA-grad-AA) micelles was sensitive to the water content of the dioxane/water mixed solvent. More interestingly, Ag nanoparticles (NPs) were encapsulated by the P(TFEMA-grad-AA) micelles during the self-assembly process. The gradient chain sequence made the Ag NPs easily enter the core of the micelles, even when P(TFEMA-grad-AA) had less hydrophobic fluoro-units and more hydrophilic units. TEM images with energy dispersive spectrometer indicated that the nanocomposite micelles consisted of a Ag NPs core and a gradient copolymer shell.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, China

    Chaoran Qin  (秦超然), Menran Feng, Wen Luo, Mingyang Liu, Mei Han, Shuai Ma & Yifeng Wang  (王艺峰)

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  1. Chaoran Qin  (秦超然)
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  2. Menran Feng
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  3. Wen Luo
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  4. Mingyang Liu
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  5. Mei Han
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  6. Shuai Ma
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  7. Yifeng Wang  (王艺峰)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yifeng Wang  (王艺峰).

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Funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 50803048 and 50703030)

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Qin, C., Feng, M., Luo, W. et al. Self-assembly of Gradient Copolymer Synthesized by Spontaneous Batch RAFT Emulsion Polymerization and Its Application on Encapsulating Ag Nanoparticles. J. Wuhan Univ. Technol.-Mat. Sci. Edit. 33, 987–994 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11595-018-1923-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11595-018-1923-8

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