Polymer micelles with characteristic core-shell structure

Block copolymers composed of a cationic segment and a hydrophilic segment spontaneously associate with polyanionic DNA to form block copolymer micelles. The distinct feature of the structure is that the core of the polyion complex between DNA and the polycation is coated by a layer of the hydrophilic polymer. The characteristic core-shell structure endows the complex a high colloidal stability and reduced interaction with blood components [12]. 

The DDMC is stable and soap-less in water. However, the DDMC caused by methanol are insoluble in water and acetone at 25. As DEAE-Dextran hydrochloride is soluble in water and poly (MMA) is soluble in acetone, it is obvious that the DDMC is not a mixture but copolymer of DEAE-dextran and poly(MMA). The infrared absorption spectrum of DDMC as shown in Figure 12 has some characteristic absorption bands at 1730 cm and at lQQQcm to 1150cm based on the carbonyl group of poly(MMA) and the pyranose ring DEAE-dextran, respectively. The DDMC exhibits different solubility from DEAE-dextran and poly(MMA) and shows the above-described characteristic absorption in the infrared absorption spectrum. From this fact, it is assumed that DDMC is graft-polymerized. These graft copolymers have an amphiphilic domain to form a polymer micelle by their hairy nano-particles and should become a stable latex of core shell particles with a hydrophilic-hydrophobic micro separated domain to form a spherical structure [52],... 

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