• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.143-149
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• 2008

We synthesized PEG-PLA (or PLGA) amphiphilic di-block copolymers, which consist of PEG as biocompatible and hydrophilic block and PLA (or PLGA) as biodegradable and hydrophobic block, by ring opening polymerization of LA in the presence of methoxy PEG as a macroinitiator. The compositions and the molecular weights of the copolymers were controlled by changing the feed ratio of LA (and GA) to PEG initiator. The di-block copolymers could self-assemble in aqueous media to form micellar structure. A hydrophobic model drug, pioglitazone, was loaded into the polymer micelle using solid dispersion and dialysis methods, and the drug-loaded micelles were characterized by AFM, DLS and HPLC measurements. The drug loading capacity and in vitro release studies were performed and evaluated under various conditions. These results indicated that the amphiphilic di-block copolymers of PEG-PLA (or PLGA) could solubilize pioglitazone by solid dispersion method and the drug release was modulated according to micellar chemical compositions.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1653-1668
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• 2005

Assembly of hybrid mesophases through the combination of amphiphilic block copolymers, acting as structuredirecting agents, and silicon sources using low acid catalyst concentration regimes is a versatile strategy to produce large quantities of high-quality ordered large-pore mesoporous silicas in a very reproducible manner. Controlling structural and textural properties is proven to be straightforward at low HCl concentrations with the adjustment of synthesis gel composition and the option of adding co-structure-directing molecules. In this account, we illustrate how various types of large-pore mesoporous silica can easily be prepared in high phase purity with tailored pore dimensions and tailored level of framework interconnectivity. Silica mesophases with two-dimensional hexagonal (p6mm) and three-dimensional cubi (Fm$\overline{3}$m, Im$\overline{3}$m and Ia$\overline{3}$d) symmetries are generated in aqueous solution by employing HCl concentrations in the range of 0.1−0.5 M and polyalkylene oxide-based triblock copolymers such as Pluronic P123 $(EO_{20}-PO_{70}-EO_{20})$ and Pluronic F127 $(EO_{106}-PO_{70}-EO_{106})$. Characterizations by powder X-ray diffraction, nitrogen physisorption, and transmission electron microscopy show that the mesoporous materials all possess high specific surface areas, high pore volumes and readily tunable pore diameters in narrow distribution of sizes ranging from 4 to 12 nm. Furthermore, we discuss our recent advances achieved in order to extend widely the phase domains in which single mesostructures are formed. Emphasis is put on the first synthetic product phase diagrams obtained in $SiO_2$-triblock copolymer-BuOH-$H_2O$ systems, with tuning amounts of butanol and silica source correspondingly. It is expected that the extended phase domains will allow designed synthesis of mesoporous silicas with targeted characteristics, offering vast prospects for future applications.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.203-209
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• 2010

Amphiphilic graft copolymers based on poly(epichlorohydrine) (PECH) were synthesized using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Successful graft polymerization of poly(methyl methacrylate)(PMMA) and poly(butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) from PECH was confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance ($^1H$ NMR) and FT-IR spectroscopy. Upon the introduction of KI or LiI to the graft copolymers, the ether stretching bands were shifted to a lower wavenumber due to coordinative interactions. Ionic conductivities of PECH-g-PBMA complexes were always higher than those of PECH-g-PMMA complexes, resulting from higher mobility of rubbery PBMA chains. The maximum ionic conductivity of $2.7{\times}10^{-5}\;S/cm$ was obtained at 10 wt% of KI for PECH-g-PBMA electrolytes.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.248-253
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• 2009

Blend films based on the poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) (PCL) and amphiphilic biodegradable polymer, poly(ethylene glycol) grafted poly($\varepsilon$-caprolactone) (PCL-g- PEG), were prepared with different blend ratios in order to develop new biomedical material. PCL was the main component in the blend. The miscibility and characteristics of the blends were investigated. The crystallization temperature of the blend shifted to high temperatures with an increase of the graft copolymer contents when the homopolymer PCL was the main component of the blend. The PEG side chain in the blend affected the crystallization rate of the PCL crystals in the blend and alternating extinction bands were observed by optical microscopy. The protein adhesion behavior of the film was influenced by the water uptake of the film.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.451-456
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• 1998

By grafting acrylic acid, fumalic acid and maleic acid onto chitosan, graft copolymers, CsAa, CsFa and CsMa, respectively were prepared for potential uses as flocculants in waste water treatment. When 40 ppm of each grafted chitosan sample was added into the waste water, CsMa showed the best removal rate of COD and suspended solids(SS), followed by CsFa and CsAa and chitosan. The transmittance and removal rate of COD and SS were the highest at pH 5. All grafted chitosan exhibited better performance than chitosan itself, resulting from the amphiphilic property of grafted chitosan copolymer with carboxy groups.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.5 no.5
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• pp.801-807
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• 1994

Lactose substituted styrene monomer, N-(p-vinylbenzyl)-D-lactonamide(VLA) was prepared by coupling the lactose lactone with p-vinylbenzylamine. The carboxyl group of biotin was activated with N-hydroxysuccinimide in the presence of N, N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. Subsquently, biotin substituted styrene monomer, N-(p-vinylbenzyl)-biotinamide(VBA) was prepared by amidation of the activated biotin with p-vinylbenzylamine. Poly(vinylbenzylactonamide-co-vinylbenzylbiotinamide), p(VLA-co-VBA) were synthesized through radical polymerization from the synthetic monomers(VLA-VBA) by using various mole ratio. The percentages of yield were 67~71%. The copolymers were found amphlphilic which had hydrophilic lactose, hydrophobic vinylbenzyl and biotin site within the structure. IR and $^{13}C-NMR$ analysis on the monomers and copolymer were carried out.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2003

Using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP), polystyrene macroinitiators and polystyrene-b-poly(t-butyl acrylate) (PS-b-P(tBA) block copolymers were synthesized by CuBr/PMDETA catalyst system in solution. After hydrolysis, polystyrene-b-poly(acrylic acid), amphiphilic block copolymers, were formed. Subsequent neutralization of polyacid block led to the block ionomers. The molecular weight of the synthesized PS-b-P(tBA) block copolymers was easily-controlled to 5000-10000 and their distributions were less than 1.2. The chemical structures of the synthesized block copolymers were characterized by $^1$H-NMR and FT-IR. In the DSC thermograms, $T_g$ appeared in the vicinity of 100 $^{\circ}C$ because of higher styrene content. In addition, the phase separation of the block ionomers was observed by TEM.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.155-162
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• 2008

We report the successful synthesis of poly(NBECOOH-b-NBEPOSS) copolymers, taking advantage of the sequential, living ring opening metathesis polymerization of NBETMS and NBEPOSS using the $RuCl_2(=CHPh)(PCY_3)_2$/$CH_2Cl_2$/$20^{\circ}C$ system, followed by the hydrolysis of trimethylsilyl groups in poly(NBETMS-b-NBEPOSS) copolymers. The living behavior of ROMP of NBETMS was first investigated using two diagnostic plots, a first order kinetic plot and a $\bar{M}_n$ vs. conversion plot. The plots confirmed that no termination and chain transfer reaction had occurred during polymerization. Poly(NBECOOH-b-NBEPOSS) copolymers were prepared using the sequential monomer addition of NBEPOSS to living poly(NBETMS) chain ends, followed by the hydrolysis of trimethylsilyl groups in the poly(NBETMS-b-NBEPOSS) copolymers. The high structural integrity of poly(NBE-COOH-b-NBEPOSS) copolymers was confirmed by $^1H$-NMR, $^{13}C$-NMR spcctroscopy and GPC.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.496-502
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• 2015

Facilitated transport is one of the possible solutions to simultaneously improve permeability and selectivity, which is challenging in conventional polymer-based membranes. Olefin/paraffin separation using facilitated transport membrane has received much attention as an alternative solution to the conventional distillation process. Herein, we report olefin separation composite membranes based on the polymer blends containing $AgBF_4/Al(NO_3)_3$ mixed salts. Free radical polymerization process was used to synthesize an amphiphilic graft copolymer of poly(dimethyl siloxane)-graft- poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (PDMS-g-POEM). In addition, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) was introduced to the PDMS-g-POEM graft copolymer to form polymer blends with various ratios. The propylene/propane mixed-gas selectivity and permeance reached up to 5.6 and 10.05 GPU, respectively, when the PEO loading was 70 wt% in polymer blend. The improvement of olefin separation performance was attributed to the olefin facilitating silver ions as well as the highly permeable blend matrix. The stabilization of silver ions in the composite membrane was achieved through the introduction of $Al(NO_3)_3$ which suppressed the reduction of silver ions to silver particles.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.246-250
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• 2008

Colloidal stability of the biodegradable nanoparticle was characterized by measuring the variation of particle size with time using photon correlation spectroscopy. Three kinds of polymers, namely, poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide)(PLGA), PLGA/poly(L-lactide) blends, and PLGA/poly(L-lactide)-g-poly(ethylene glycol) blends were used as matrix material for nanoparticle preparation. Nanoparticles were prepared with or without using poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA) as suspension stabilizer to evaluate the condition of preparation. Nanoparticles from the blend of amphiphilic graft copolymer with short poly(ethylene glycol) chain and PLGA maintained suspension for 1 day when protein stock solution was introduced. This is somewhat improvement in colloidal stability against protein adsorption compared with that of nanoparticles without PEG moiety. Suspension stabilizer, PVA, had a significant effect on the colloidal stability against freezing and protein adsorption which led to coagulation of nanoparticles. It is important to consider effect of suspension stabilizer as well as materials used to prepare nanoparticle on the colloidal stability.