Self-Assembly of poly(D-glucose carbonate) Amphiphilic Block copolymers in Solution

With a rising interest in developing and implementing more environmental-friendly materials, the study of self-assembly behavior of a next generation natural-source based polymers is crucial. Sugar-derived poly(D-glucose carbonate) (PGC) amphiphilic block copolymers with targeted block compositions, chain lengths and side chain chemistries were synthesized. The bulk solution assembly behavior of PGCs was explored using a range of solvent environments (e.g. water-miscible organic solvent compositions or pH-induced structural transitions). The assembled nanostructure shows a morphological transition from a micellar to a fibrillar nanostructure that is dependent on parameters affecting the degree of side chain ionization. These findings allow us to discover a variety of robust nanostructures that can be achieved by non-traditional polymers and their potential to be used in many applications. Additionally, conformations of homopolymer PGC with different side chains were measured via small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) in an effort to better understand the assembly formation behavior of the PGCs when used as blocks in amphiphile creation. Finally, new efforts to correlate scattering, electron microscopy, and simulation data will be presented.