Pod-Like Supramicelles with Multicompartment Hydrophobic Cores Prepared by Self-Assembly of Modified Chitosan

In this paper, pod-like supramicelles with multicompartment hydrophobic cores were prepared by selfassembly of amphiphilic N-phthaloylchitosan-g-poly(N-vinylcaprolactam)(PHCS-g-PNVCL) in aqueous medium. The employed biocompatible amphiphilic polymer was synthesized by grafting the carboxyl terminated poly(N-vinylcaprolactam)(PNVCL-COOH) chains onto N-phthaloylchitosan(PHCS) backbone.~1H NMR and FTIR results confirmed the molecular structure of the copolymers. The morphology of the supramicelles assembled by PHCS-g-PNVCL was revealed by means of TEM and polarized light microscope. In solution, the supramicelles were very stable as monitored by DLS and zeta potential measurements. Temperature and p H presented significant influences on the size and size distribution of the supramicelles. These supramicelles with multicompartment hydrophobic cores should be ideal biomimetic systems with promising applications in drug delivery.