Amphiphilic fluorous random copolymer self‐assembly for encapsulation of a fluorinated agrochemical. Issue 3 (4th October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ko, Jeong Hoon; Bhattacharya, Arvind; Terashima, Takaya; Sawamoto, Mitsuo; Maynard, Heather D.
• Is Part Of: Journal of polymer science. Volume 57:Issue 3(2019)
• Page Start: 352
• Page End: 359
• Publication Date: 2018-10-04
• Subjects: agrochemicals, amphiphilic polymer, fluorinated polymer, fluorine, living radical polymerization, sugar, trehalose; 547
• DOI: 10.1002/pola.29187
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0887-624X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Amphiphilic self‐folding random copolymers exhibit different solution behaviors depending on the identity of the hydrophobic/hydrophilic units. Herein, it is demonstrated that changing the hydrophilic unit from poly(ethylene glycol) to the sugar trehalose causes increased discrepancy in the polarity difference with a fluorinated hydrophobic segment and changes the aggregation state of the polymer in water. The PEG‐fluorinated and trehalose/PEG‐fluorinated amphiphilic random copolymers were the most efficient at encapsulating a fluorinated agrochemical. The small‐molecule agrochemical exerts a strong influence on the self‐assembly of the polymers, demonstrating that fluorous interactions result in not only intramolecular self‐folding behavior but also intermolecular polymer association to form well‐defined nanoparticles. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem.2019, 57, 352–359 Abstract : Amphiphilic random copolymers with different hydrophilic units were synthesized and used for encapsulation of a fluorinated agrochemical. Changing the hydrophilic unit from PEG to the sugar trehalose led to a significant difference in the polymerization characteristics and solution behavior of the resulting polymer. Amphiphilic copolymers containing both oligoethylene glycol side chains and trehalose were capable of encapsulating a fluorinated pesticide for potential agricultural applications.