Micelle formation of a novel rod-coil diblock copolymer

A novel amphiphilic rod-coil block copolymer was synthesized and micelle formation of the copolymer in toluene solution was studied using polarized optical microscopy and light scattering techniques. Cylindrical aggregates with the size of μm scale were observed in the copolymer/toluene solution under polarized optical microscopy (POM), and the hydrodynamic radius was estimated at approximately 380 nm at 25 °C. Dynamic light scattering and Static Light Scattering studies supported the POM observation when the concentration was less than 0.8 wt% and the Rh was estimated at about 300 nm at 25 °C.