Amphiphilic Invertible Polymers (AIPs) Micellization and Self-Assembly in Aqueous Solutions

Amphiphilic invertible polymers (AIPs) are composed of the hydrophilic, poly(ethylene glycol), and hydrophobic, aliphatic dicarboxylic acid moieties, alternately distributed along the main backbone. They build micelles, self-assemble by increasing concentration and are capable of accommodating otherwise insoluble substances in aqueous medium. The resulting complex nanostructures can undergo inverse conformational changes and are functional in both polar and non-polar environments, giving potentially broad use in many applications, especially in the pharmaceutical industry, agriculture, and cosmetics.