| 초록 |
A great number of studies on micelle formation by neutral block copolymers have appeared during the past few decades. However, relatively fewer detailed studies on micelle formation by charged/neutral block copolymers have been reported. In addition, much of their micellar behavior is still not understood clearly despite recent theoretical and experimental studies. In this study, micelle formation of diblock copolymers consisting of charged A-monomers and hydrophobic B-monomers is investigated using Brownian dynamics simulation. Ewald summation technique is used to treat long-range Coulomb interactions between two charges and counterions are included for the purpose of charge balance. The equilibrium properties of micellar solution are investigated as a function of the length of core-forming hydrophobic block and the degree of ionization in the corona-forming charged block by changing the strength of ionic potential. It is observed that spherical micelle is formed with small average aggregate size at full ionization of corona block. At lower degrees of ionization, Counterions condensed around coronal block and thus, larger micelles are formed due to reduction in electrostatic repulsion between corona blocks. |
