Association behaviors of dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide with double hydrophilic block co-polymer poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(glutamate sodium).

The association behaviors of single-chain surfactant dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) with double hydrophilic block co-polymers poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(sodium glutamate) (PEG(113)-PGlu(50) or PEG(113)-PGlu(100)) were investigated using isothermal titration microcalorimetry, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, circular dichroism, ζ potential, and particle size measurements. The electrostatic interaction between DTAB and the oppositely charged carboxylate groups of PEG-PGlu induces the formation of super-amphiphiles, which further self-assemble into ordered aggregates. Dependent upon the charge ratios between DTAB and the glutamic acid residue of the co-polymer, the mixture solutions can change from transparent to opalescent without precipitation. Dependent upon the chain length of the PGlu block, the mixture of DTAB and PEG-PGlu diblocks can form two different aggregates at their corresponding electroneutral point. Spherical and rod-like aggregates are formed in the PEG(113)-PGlu(50)/DTAB mixture, while the vesicular aggregates are observed in the PEG(113)-PGlu(100)/DTAB mixture solution. Because the PEG(113)-PGlu(100)/DTAB super-amphiphile has more hydrophobic components than that of the PEG(113)-PGlu(50)/DTAB super-amphiphile, the former prefers forming the ordered aggregates with higher curvature, such as spherical and rod aggregates, but the latter prefers forming vesicular aggregates with lower curvature.