Linear‐Hyperbranched Amphiphilic AB Diblock Copolymers Based on Polystyrene and Hyperbranched Polyglycerol

Abstract

Abstract Summary: A convenient three‐step strategy has been developed for the preparation of well‐defined amphiphilic, linear‐hyperbranched block copolymers by hypergrafting. The synthetic procedure is based on a combination of carbanionic polymerization with the alkoxide‐based, controlled ring‐opening multibranching polymerization of glycidol. A linear AB diblock copolymer polystyrene‐ block ‐polybutadiene (PS‐ b ‐PB) with narrow polydispersity was obtained by anionic copolymerization. Subsequent hydroxylation by hydroboration led to PS 508 ‐ b ‐(PB‐OH) 56 , used as macroinitiator for the polymerization of glycidol under slow monomer addition conditions. Structure of the linear‐hyperbranched amphiphilic AB diblock copolymer PS 508 ‐ b ‐(PB 56 ‐ hg ‐PG x ) and an AFM micrograph of its micellar core–shell structure observed after solution casting. magnified image Structure of the linear‐hyperbranched amphiphilic AB diblock copolymer PS 508 ‐ b ‐(PB 56 ‐ hg ‐PG x ) and an AFM micrograph of its micellar core–shell structure observed after solution casting.