화학공학소재연구정보센터
Macromolecules, Vol.31, No.7, 2368-2374, 1998
Cold and hot denaturation of polysoaps
A simple phenomenological model predicting the hot and cold denaturation of polysoaps is presented. Polysoaps are flexible water-soluble polymers that incorporate, at intervals, covalently bound amphiphiles. In water, these self-assemble into intrachain micelles, thus giving rise to hierarchical self-organization. This structure is predicted to denature, to disassemble, both upon heating and upon cooling. It is possible to narrow the stability range of the intrachain structure by increasing the length of the spacer chain joining the amphiphilic monomers. A similar erect may influence the stability range of protein-polymer conjugates and certain glycosylated proteins.