A new approach for the characterization of insoluble amphiphilic copolymers based on their emulsifying properties

The purpose of the present study was to propose a new approach for the characterization of insoluble amphiphilic copolymers using their emulsifying properties. The capacity of four newly-synthesized block copolymers to stabilize a model emulsion formed by mixing equal volumes of water and ethyl acetate was investigated. The copolymers were composed of dextran or heparin and poly(isobutylcyanoacrylate) and were obtained either by anionic or by radical polymerization of isobutylcyanoacrylate in emulsion, initiated on dextran or heparin. A quantitative analysis of the stability of the emulsion obtained with the different copolymers was evaluated using a Turbiscan MA 2000. The results suggested that this approach provides a new methodology for investigating emulsifying properties of polymers that are insoluble in pure solvents, allowing quantitative comparisons to be made between them.