Phase behaviors of a mixture of two kinds of Pluronic triblock copolymers in aqueous solution

Abstract

A new method to easily derive the phase transition of amphiphilic block copolymer in aqueous solution is suggested in this study. Using two kinds of Pluronic triblock copolymers, which have different mass fractions of the hydrophilic part of the block copolymer, the mixed block copolymers in aqueous solution self-assembled into a variety of nanostructures. Small angle neutron scattering revealed that the block copolymer complex formed spheres, cylinders, and vesicles depending on both the concentration of another Pluronic block copolymer (Pluronic PE6200) as an additive and temperature. This phase behavior can be easily explained in terms of the hydrophobicity of the block copolymer by increasing its effective hydrophobic moiety and temperature.