SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF AMPHIPHILIC DIBLOCK COPOLYMER BY REVERSE IODINE TRANSFER POLYMERIZATION (RITP)

Iodine transfer radical homo- and diblock copolymerization of N-[3(dimethylamino)propyl] methacrylamide (DMAPMA) with methyl methacrylate (MMA) were carried out in the presence of iodine I-2 and 2,2'-azobis(isobutyronitrile) (AIBN) as chain transfer agent and initiator, respectively. Using reverse iodine transfer polymerization (RITP) method based on the in situ generation of transfer agents using molecular iodine I-2. The homopolymer and copolymer were characterized by FT-IR and H-1 NMR. The self-assembly behaviours of diblock copolymer in water are studied by viscosity and tensiometry techniques. The water-soluble fraction of P(DMAPMA-b-MMA) block copolymer formed micelles which were investigated at 25 degrees C in water at 0.2 mg.mL(-1) concentration using a tensiometry device. Dynamic light scattering technique (DLS) was performed over a wide range of concentration to determine hydrodynamic size of the aggregates.