Synthesis, characterization and surface properties of star-shaped polymeric surfactants with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane core

Star-shaped amphiphilic polymeric surfactants comprising a hydrophobic polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) core and hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) arms with various chain lengths are successfully synthesized using copper(I)-catalysed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) click reaction. Their chemical structures and molecular characteristics are clearly confirmed using Fourier transform infrared and H-1 NMR spectroscopies and gel permeation chromatography, and no homopolymer is found after CuAAC click reaction. Aqueous solutions of these star-shaped polymers have been investigated using atomic force and transmission electron microscopies and dynamic light scattering studies and it is found that they can self-assemble into micelles. The sizes of the micelles can be adjusted by the length of the PEG arms, where longer chains not only lead to increased micelle sizes, but also reduce the contact angle values. Moreover, the melting points and root mean square roughness of the obtained star-shaped polymers are slightly increased on increasing the chain length of the PEG arms. (C) 2017 Society of Chemical Industry