AMPHIPHILIC CATIONIC BLOCK-COPOLYMERS VIA CONTROLLED FREE-RADICAL POLYMERIZATION

N-oxyl terminated vinylbenzyl chloride macromonomers, available via co ntrolled free radical polymerization, were used to synthesize AB-block copolymers of vinylbenzyl chloride and styrene with low polydispersit y and different block lengths and block length ratios. The vinylbenzyl chloride blocks were quantitatively converted into cationic polyelect rolytes by reactions with tertiary amines. The micellization of the sy nthesized amphiphilic cationic block copolymers was investigated using different techniques such as static light scattering, ultracentrifuga tion and size exclusion chromatography.