A simple, efficient and metal-free route to amphiphilic triblock copolymers containing PDMS and PEG segments: synthesis, characterization and self-assembly in aqueous media

Amphiphilic triblock copolymers containing PDMS and PEG segments were synthesized here by metal-free click chemistry. The structures of PEG-b-PDMS-b-PEG copolymers were characterized through FT-IR, 1H NMR and GPC. The synthesis procedures of copolymers were carried out under benign conditions without any metal participation. And the self-assembly properties were discussed by fluorescent probe, DLS and TEM result in a lower critical aggregation concentration (CAC), nanoparticles size ranging from 127 nm to 172 nm and formulation of vesicle-like nanoparticles, respectively. Additionally, TGA shows that copolymers exhibits good thermal stability.