Amphiphilic copolymer of poly(ethylene glycol)-Block-polypyridine; Synthesis, physicochemical characterization, and adsorption onto silica nanoparticle

In this study, we newly synthesized amphiphilic block copolymers composed of hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and hydrophobic pyridine segments (PEG-b-Py). Chain transfer agent terminated PEG was subsequently chain-extended with 3-(4-pyridyl)-propyl acrylate to obtain PEGb-Py by reversible additional-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization. Particularly, the effect of varying PEG molecular weight (M_n) of the block copolymers (M_n=2000 (2k), and 5000 (5k)) was investigated in terms of critical micelle concentration (cmc), pyrene solubilization, micelle size distribution, and association number per micelle. Based on the amphiphilic balance, PEG-b-Pys formed core-shell type polymer micelle. The cmc value of PEG2k-b-Py was lower than that of PEG5k-b-Py, suggesting the degree of phase separation was strongly depended on PEG M_n. Furthermore, the adsorption of PEG-b-Py copolymer onto silica nanoparticles as dispersant was studied to estimate the effect of PEG M_nin the copolymers and their solubility in the medium on the adsorption. Adsorbed density of PEG2k-b-Py copolymer onto silica nanoparticle was higher than that of PEG5k-b-Py, which was significantly correlated with the degree of phase-separation based on the amphiphilic balance. The adsorbed amount of copolymer was further changed as a function of solvent polarity, phase separation predicting the presence of the acid-base interaction between Py and silanol group existed on silica nanoparticles. The resultant dispersion stability was highly correlated with the graft density of copolymer onto silica surface. As a result, PEG2k-b-Py coated silica nanoparticles in aqueous media (with high solvent polarity) showed high dispersion stability. These fundamental investigations for the surface modification of the nanoparticle provide the insight into the highly stable colloidal dispersion as well as the design of dispersant molecular structure.