| 초록 |
Recently, we reported a temperature sensitive biodegradable diblock copolymer of monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(trimethylene carbonate) (mPEG-PTMC). Here, we are reporting the detailed morphological transition of the polymer in water as a function of polymer concentration and temperature using cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM). At a low polymer concentration (0.05 wt. %), the mPEG-PTMC diblock copolymers formed vesicles in water. On the other hand, vesicle-to-micelle transition was observed as the polymer concentration increased. The polymer predominantly formed micelles above 2.0 wt. %. In the 2.0 wt. % polymer solution, the mPEG-PTMC underwent spherical micelle-to-tubular nanostructure transition as the temperature increased from 10 oC to 40 oC. This presentation will not only provide an important methodology in a morphology control of an amphiphilic polymer but also improve our understanding on a temperature sensitive transition mechanism of the polymer. |
