Self-assemblies formed by four-arm star copolymers with amphiphilic diblock arms in aqueous solutions

The self-assembly of two star copolymers, each consisting of four diblock arms of either poly(?-caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene oxide), PCL-PEO, or polylactide-block-poly(ethylene oxide), PLA-PEO, with PEO blocks in the centers of the stars, have been studied by a combination of light scattering, atomic force microscopy, fluorometry and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Results of the study show that despite the very similar architecture of both star copolymers, the structures of their self-assembled nanoparticles differ. Unlike the (PLA-PEO)₄ star copolymer which forms core/shell flower-like micelles, the association of the (PCL-PEO)₄ copolymer leads to large micellar aggregates in which individual micelles are interconnected by shared unimers, having joint coronas formed by hydrophilic centers of the stars.