Micellization of polystyrene-graft-poly(ethylene oxide) and its mixtures with polystyrene homopolymer in ethanol

Micellization behaviors of polystyrene-graft-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-graft-PEO) and its mixtures with PS homopolymer in ethanol were investigated by means of nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and viscometry. It was revealed that PS-graft-PEO could self-assemble to form polymeric micelles with a core–shell structure in the shape of spherical. Micelle formation of PS-graft-PEO in ethanol was strongly dependent on the concentration, temperature, and the PS chain contents in PS-graft-PEO. The introduction of PS homopolymer not only decreases the critical micelle concentration, but also changes the morphology of the micelles.