Polymer assembly exploiting three independent interactions

COLL 462

Dan Zhang, Hiroo Tanaka, and Robert Pelton, peltonrh@mcmaster.ca. McMaster Pulp and Paper Centre, McMaster University, 1280 Main St. West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L7, Canada
Copolymers containing the combinations of phenolic hydroxyl, polyethyleneglycol, phenylboronic acid, and cis-diol groups were prepared. As a polymer with cis-diol, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was adopted. Mutual interactions between two polymers were evaluated by Zeta potential analyzer, ellipsometer and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) technique. Gelation occurred by mixing the aqueous solutions of copolymer that contains phenolic hydroxyl and polyethyleneglycol groups at the weight concentration lower than 0.5% respectively. This was thought to be caused by generation of hydrogen bonding between phenol and poly(ethylene glycol) moieties in copolymers. Similarly, gelation took place as well by mixing the aqueous solutions of copolymer that contains phenylboronic acid group and PVA at the weight concentration lower than 0.5%. This phenomenon was based on the interaction between boronic acid and cis-diol. Finally, the self-assembly ability of the trilayer system was testified by the viscosity examination.