Solution self-assembly of poly(ferrocenylphenylphosphine)-block-polydimethylsiloxane: formation of spherical micelles with an organometallic poly(ferrocenylphenylphosphine) core

The novel organometallic-inorganic diblock copolymer poly(ferrocenylphenylp hosphine)-block-polydimethylsiloxane (PFP-b-PDMS), with narrow molecular we ight distribution has been synthesized by living anionic polymerization thr ough sequential monomer addition. These block copolymers self-assemble into "star-like" spherical micelles in hexane with a dense organometallic PFP c ore surrounded by a swollen corona of the PDMS chains. Transmission electro n microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) were used to characte rize these micellar aggregates. It was found that the block copolymer micel les have a relatively narrow core size distribution, but an overall broader distribution of hydrodynamic size in hexane. Significantly, the preparatio n method of the micelle solution was also found to have an influence on the size and size distribution of the resulting micellar structures.