Stable Water-soluble Polyion Complex Micelles Composed of Oppositely Charged Diblock Copolymers and Reinforced by Hydrophobic Interactions

Polyion complex (PIC) micelles having a hydrodynamic radius of approximately 20 nm were prepared in water by simply mixing a pair of double hydrophilic oppositely charged diblock copolymers composed of a first block containing pendant phos-phobetaine groups and a second cationic or anionic styrene -based polyelectrolyte block. The PIC micelles were stable under high salt concentration because the formation of the PIC micelles was driven by both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions.

Automated summary

Stable PIC micelles with a small hydrodynamic radius of approximately 20 nm were prepared in water by mixing double hydrophilic oppositely charged diblock copolymers. The stability of these micelles is attributed to the combined driving forces of electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions.