Preparation of polymeric vesicles via redox-initiated RAFT dispersion polymerization

Abstract

2-(diisopropylamino) ethyl methacrylate (DIPEMA) and glycidyl methacrylate (GlyMA) were used for the investigation of the redox-initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) dispersion polymerization, by using poly (ethylene oxide)-4-(4-Cyanopentanoic acid) dithiobenzoate (mPEG-CPADB) as the macro-chain-transfer agent (macro-CTA). The particle growth process study indicated that the particles changed from spheres to worms, and then to vesicles during the polymerization process. The degree of polymerization (DP) of the hydrophobic block P(DIPEMA-co-GlyMA) affected the particle morphology, particle diameter and molecular weight significantly. Pure polymeric vesicles could be obtained when DP was equal to or higher than 60, and with increasing of the DP of the hydrophobic block, the diameter and the molecular weight of the particles both increased.