PHASE-BEHAVIOR IN AQUEOUS 2-PHASE SYSTEMS CONTAINING MICELLE-FORMING BLOCK-COPOLYMERS

The phase behavior of the three-component PEO-PPO-PEO/dextran/water sy stem has been studied. Pluronic L64, P105, and F68 were used, and they are members of a family of triblock copolymers with the structure PEO -PPO-PEO, where PEO is poly(ethylene oxide) and PPO poly(propylene oxi de). Moreover, these triblock copolymers tend to self-aggregate in aqu eous solution at increasing temperature. The phase behavior of the thr ee-component system was studied both experimentally and theoretically at different temperatures corresponding to the unimer (monomolecular) and the micellar region of the PEO-PPO-PEO polymers. The determination of the unimer and micellar regions was performed with a dye solubiliz ation technique using 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) as a spectro scopic probe. A strong temperature effect on the phase behavior in PEO -PPO-PEO/dextran/water systems was observed in the case of Pluronic L6 4 and P105. At elevated temperature (40 degrees C) the micellization o f the PEO-PPO-PEO polymers leads to a drastic change of the tie-line s lopes as well as the shape of the binodals. Qualitative agreements wer e found between experimental findings and theoretical calculations usi ng a Flory-Huggins lattice theory extended with internal degrees of fr eedom by modeling the PEO-PPO-PEO polymers as a poly(ethylene oxide) c hain. This supports the prevailing picture that the more hydrophobic P PO block is shielded from water contacts by forming hydrophobic domain s surrounded by EO segments.