Morphology and Luminescent Properties of Solid Micelles based on Europium(III) Complexes with Diblock Copolymers of Methyl Methylacrylate and Acrylic Acid

Abstract

In this article, diblock copolymer (DBC), poly (methyl methacrylate)-block-poly (acrylic acid) was synthesized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization (RAFT). The DBC-Eu3+ solid micelles were prepared through the complex interaction between DBC and Eu3+ ions. As cross-linker, Eu3+ ions accept the electron donation of the ligand groups (carboxyl) sited on the polar PAA segments of DBC and form the DBC-Eu3+ solid micelles. The observations by transmission electron microscopy showed the embedment of Eu3+ ions in DBC and the nonpolar segments [poly (methyl methacrylate)] of DBC play a role of compatible agent for DBC-Eu3+ solid micelles to disperse in hydrophobic solvent [for example, dimethyl formamide] or polymer matrix. Very importantly, we found the dependence of the morphological structure (i.e. the size of solid micelles) on the molecular weight of DBC. On the other hand, the dependence of photoluminescent property of DBC-Eu3+ solid micelles on the molecular weight of DBC and the ratio of polar and nonpolar segments was confirmed through our experiments. The results showed the existence of enhanced photoluminescent property of DBC-Eu3+ solid micelles.