New amphiphilic poly[bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)phosphazene]/ poly(propylene glycol) triblock copolymers: Synthesis and micellar characteristics

Amphiphilic triblock copolymers were synthesized with two hydrophobic poly[bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)phosphazene] blocks linked to a central poly(propylene glycol) block. These were synthesized via the cationic polymerization of chlorophosphoranimines and coupling of these blocks to a diamine functionalized poly(propylene glycol) followed by macromolecular substitution. The micellar characteristics of these amphiphilic triblock copolymers were examined using fluorescence techniques, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. The critical micelle concentrations (cmcs) of PN-PPG-PN polymeric micelles determined by a fluorescence technique were in the range 9.5-12.4 mg/L. The mean diameters of the micelles of the PN-PPG-PN polymeric micelles, measured by dynamic light scattering, were between 197 and 364 nm.