Synthesis and Micelle Formation of Diblock Copolymers Containing of Polyisocyanates as a Rod Segment

Poly(isoprene-b-butyl isocyanate) diblock copolymer was synthesized through a combination of anionic and coordination polymerization techniques. Hydroxyl terminated polyisoprene was synthesized via anionic polymerization using ethylene oxide as an end capping reagent. The hydroxyl group was reacted with a titanium (IV) reagent to form a macroinitiator, with which butyl isocyanate was polymerized. The micelle formation of the rod-coil diblock polymer was investigated using dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. From the DLS measurements, we found that the size of micelles increased upon addition of n-heptane as a poor solvent. The aggregation of micelles was also observed by AFM.