STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS OF POLYMERIC MICELLES IN SOLUTION

The association properties of binary and ternary systems of the EPE and PEP (E and P refer to poly(oxyethylene) and poly(oxypropylene), respectively) polymeric surfactants in water and/or xylene were studied by using light scattering and small angle X-ray scattering. The ability of PEP to form micelles in water is greatly reduced when compared with that of EPE, thus demonstrating the profound influence of the triblock chain architecture. The anomalous scattering before the onset of micellization which has puzzled people for a long time is found to be associated with the copolymer composition heterogeneity. The addition of water to the EPE solution in xylene can induce the micelle formation with a transition from spherical to non-spherical shapes of the associated structures at high water content.