Publications [#234038] of Michael J. Therien

Papers Published

1. Li, G; Ghoroghchian, P; Qi, W; Christian, N; Frail, PR; Hammer, DA; Therien, MJ, Synthesis and self-assembly of biodegradable polyethylene oxide-b-polycaprolactone (PEO-A-PCL) diblock copolymers, Technical Proceedings of the 2008 Nsti Nanotechnology Conference and Trade Show Nsti Nanotech Nanotechnology 2008, vol. 2 (October, 2008), pp. 661-664
   (last updated on 2026/01/15)

   Abstract:
   A series of amphiphilic poly(ethylene oxide)-b-polycaprolactone (PEO-b-PCL) diblock copolymers had been synthesized by ring-opening or sequential anionic living polymerization. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) were used to characterize these copolymers. All copolymers have polydispersity index (PDI) from 1.14 to 1.37 by GPC. Two self-assembly techniques, film rehydration and organic solvent extraction, had been employed to process polymersomes. The perfect nanostructured polymersomes were processed by freeze-thaw-sonication film rehydration technique. The polymersomes with sizes from a hundred nanometer to several microns were obtained from these copolymers. Polymersomes could only be made from the copolymers with PEO blocks (Mn: 2k-3.8k) and fPEO (11.8-18.8%). Film rehydration is a highly favorable self-assembly method for preparing biodegradable nanostructured polymersomes.