Multicompartment micelles from blends of terpolymers

Poly(VDF-ter-HFP-ter-TFMA) terpolymers (in which VDF, HFP and TFMA stand for vinylidene fluoride, hexafluoropropylene, and α-trifluoromethacrylic acid, respectively) were synthesized by iodine transfer radical terpolymerization. These copolymers were further blended with a poly(S-b-2VP-b-EO) triblock terpolymer (in which S, 2VP and EO stand for styrene, 2-vinylpyridine and ethylene oxide, respectively) in N,N-dimethylformamide to lead to micelles containing a core formed of poly(VDF-ter-HFP) segments and TFMA/2VP hydrogen-bonded complexes, and a corona of PS and PEO chains. Depending on the content of VDF in the used poly(VDF-ter-HFP-ter-TFMA) terpolymers, microphase-separated fluorinated nanodomains can be visualized inside the core.