Influence of polymer architecture on the structure of complex coacervate core micelles: AB + AC vs. AB + C systems
발표자
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초록
내용
Complex Coacervate Core Micelles (C3Ms) are formed by electrostatic interactions between oppositely charged polymers in aqueous environment, resulting in high sensitivity to pH and ionic strength. C3Ms have been widely employed to encapsulate biomacromolecules and pharmaceutically active compounds. Since C3Ms can be formed by AB+AC or AB+C system, where A is hydrophilic neutral block, and B and C are oppositely charged blocks, this study mainly investigates the impact of polymer architecture on C3M structure. By varying the ratio of AC and C in a solution, the core dimension, aggregation number, and corona characteristics are presicely controlled. Our results show that micelles formed from AB+C systems have larger core sizes and aggregation numbers but lower corona brush densities compared to those from AB+AC systems. These findings are explained by our theoretical model, which balances the free energy between the core and the interface.