Multidetector-ThF3 as a Novel Tool for the Investigation of Solution Properties of Amphiphilic Block Copolymers

摘要

In this study, multidetector Thermal FFF (ThF3) is utilized to study amphiphilic block copolymers in different selective and nonselective solvents. Depending on the solvent quality and the polymer concentration, amphiphilic block copolymers can form aggregates or micelles; the blocks can adopt different coil conformations. ThF3 is chosen because of the noninvasive nature of the technique that will not destroy the conformations that amphiphilic block copolymers can adopt in selected solvents. The effect of different polymer-solvent systems on the diffusion and thermal diffusion coefficients, and the resultant separation, is studied. It is found that, depending on the solvent, the macromolecules adopt extended coil or partially collapsed coil conformations. Experimental conditions are identified where the block copolymers behave similar to one of their parent homopolymers. For the first time, it has been shown that ThF3 is a unique tool to study the solution properties and the coil conformations of amphiphilic copolymers and to relate this information to the fractionation behavior of the polymers.