Journal
POLYMERS
Volume 7, Issue 6, Pages 1177-1191Publisher
MDPI AG
DOI: 10.3390/polym7061177
Keywords
micelle size; multiblock copolymer; poly(lactic acid); poly(ethylene glycol)
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Funding
- Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research [26670623] Funding Source: KAKEN
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The ability to control the micelle size of poly(lactic acid) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PLA-PEG) block copolymers is important for controlling their circulation in blood cell recognition, drug release and therapeutic effects. We successfully controlled the micelle size by changing the block number of copolymers (multiblock index). PLA-PEG multiblock copolymers with multiblock indexes ranging from 1.35 to 2.78 were synthesized by direct polycondensation with tin chloride/p-toluenesulfonic acid binary catalysts, using PEG with a molecular weight (M-w) of 3200 Da. The M-w of PLA-PEG copolymers increased with an increase in the multiblock index, while micelle size, measured by dynamic light scattering, decreased greatly from 349 to 28 nm. In addition, the X-ray diffraction peak of the PLA crystal disappeared when the multiblock index was increased. These results indicate that a multiblock structure is useful for controlling micelle size without changing the PLA/PEG composition or PEG molecular weight, which strongly influences other micelle features.
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