Copolymer Micelles in Aqueous Media

Abstract

Until a few years ago, most of the studies on copolymer micelles were done using organic selective solvents [1]. In recent years, more attention has been paid to micelles of hydrophobic/hydrophilic block copolymers in water, in aqueous buffers, and in water-rich mixtures with organic solvents. Reasons for this delayed interest could have been, e.g., a belief that block copolymer micelles in aqueous media can add nothing substantially new to the classical surfactants, relative difficulties in the preparation of well-defined hydrophobic/hydrophilic block copolymers, or the experience that many hydrophobic/hydrophilic block copolymers failed to form micelles upon direct dissolution in water.