NOVEL AMPHIPHILIC BLOCK-COPOLYMERS BY POLYMER REACTIONS AND THEIR USEFOR SOLUBILIZATION OF METAL-SALTS AND METAL COLLOIDS

A variety of amphiphilic blockcopolymers (ABC's) are made by using two highly effective polymer analogous reactions, epoxidation followed by opening of the oxirane ring, The optimization of all reaction conditi ons results in functional polymers which are practically as narrowly d istributed as their precursor polymers, and which can be used as model polymers. In ease of polar modification, all amphiphilic block copoly mers form well-defined micelles in toluene, the size of which can be a djusted by the type of modification. The adjustment of the amphiphilic ity with diverse nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphonate derivatives results in polymeric amphiphiles with a high affinity to transition metal ion s, as well as metal colloids and surfaces. This is demonstrated by sol ubilization of metal salts in unpolar solvents by the ABC's and subseq uent formation of well-defined noble metal colloids which are-in the c ase of a careful adaption of the polymer to the metal surface-perfectl y stabilized by the corona polymers.