The Self-Assembly of Diblock Copolymers MePEG-b-PAAm into Micellar Structures and Their Interaction with Doxorubicin

Abstract

The micellization of asymmetric diblock copolymers (DBC) MePEG-b-PAAm formed by monomethoxy-poly(ethylene)oxide (MePEG) and polyacrylamide (PAAm) has been studied in water, a water/alcohol mixture, and a NaCl solution. The effect of added NaCl on the critical micellization concentration of DBC water solutions was examined. The interaction between DBC and antitumor drug doxorubicin is discussed. The analysis of the UV spectrum of doxorubicin is performed.

Keywords:

• Acrylamide
• block copolymers
• doxorubicin
• micellization
• polyethylene glycol

Notes

¹Weight fraction of MePEG block.

²Ratio of PAA blocks and PEO blocks.

^a Critical micellization concentration.

^b Gibbs free micellization energy.

¹λ _abs – transition wavelength, f – transition oscillator strength.

²Configuration of the transition Ψ_k is expressed by the relation , k – transition number, i – number of filled MO, j – number of vacant MO. In the table, the configurations with d² > 0.1 are shown.

³Localization of three fragments X, Y, Z is shown in Figure 2. Localization of the transition is A if (L_X + L_Z) >> (L_Y +L_Z); localization of the transition is B if (L_X + L_Z) << (L_Y + L_Z); and the transition is general molecular if L_X ≈ L_Y.

⁴Localization of the fragments A and B is shown in Figure 2.