POLYSTYRENE-POLY(ETHYLENE OXIDE) DIBLOCK COPOLYMERS MICELLES IN WATER

Micellization in water of polystyrene-poly(ethylene oxide) diblock cop olymers is achieved by the stepwise dialysis technique in order to pre pare micellar solutions for copolymers with a wide range of molecular parameters. Hydrodynamic radii, determined by quasielastic light scatt ering, are correlated with the molecular parameters, e.g. molecular we ight and composition, and compared with the theory. Two couples of phe nanthrene and anthracene labelled copolymers are used to prepare micel lar solutions by mixing them before and after dialysis. The non radiat ive energy transfer is determined on these solutions to prove that pol ystyrene-poly(ethylene oxide) diblock copolymers micelles in water are ''frozen'' micelles even when heated near the Tg of polystyrene.