Engineering tetraphenylethylene-based amphiphilic copolymers by dynamic covalent approach: Molecular origin from simple to complex aggregates
摘要
Herein, a series of block copolymers poly(N-(2-methacryloylxyethyl) ethyl pyrrolidone)-block-poly(4-(formaldehyde) phenyl methacrylate) (PNMP136-b-PBFMAm) were developed as the aldehyde precursors Dm. Three kinds of tetraphenylethylene-based dynamic covalent imine copolymers (Dm-A) were generated in situ from the aqueous mixtures of Dm and amino precursors A including 4-(1,2,2-triphenylvinyl) aniline (TPVA), N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-(4-(1,2,2-triphenylvinyl) phenoxy) propenamide (TPVC2A) and N-(2-aminohexyl)-3-(4-(1,2,2-triphenylvinyl) phenoxy) propenamide (TPVC6A) at the constant -NH2/-CHO molar ratio of 1, resulting in Dm-TPVA, Dm-TPVC2A, and Dm-TPVC6A, respectively. Dm commonly formed spherical micelles in water, and spherical micelles were also formed by Dm-TPVA, Dm-TPVC2A, and Dm-TPVC6A with m below 135. However, D194-TPVA, D194-TPVC2A, and D194-TPVC6A preferred to form long and entangled wormlike micelles. This indicates that the morphology of Dm-A aggregates is mainly determined by the degree m of polymerization of PBFMA segment in Dm. The emulsification of Dm, Dm-TPVA, Dm-TPVC2A, and Dm-TPVC6A micelles in the dodecane/water systems was depended on the compatibility between oil and copolymers. Dm and Dm-TPVC6A micelles with m ranging from 44 to 135 were excellent Pickering emulsifiers, favoring the formation of O/W Pickering emulsions.
Graphical abstract