Self-assembly of Polyfluorene Molecular Brushes with Poly(methacrylic acid) Side Chains in Ethanol and Water

Graft copolymers with the polyfluorene backbone and poly( tert -butyl methacrylate) and poly(methacrylic acid) side chains are synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization. The behavior of the synthesized brushes in chloroform, ethanol, and water solutions is studied by molecular hydrodynamics and optics. The graft copolymers are characterized by a high grafting density. The brushes with poly(methacrylic acid) side chains form unimolecular micelles capable of encapsulating curcumin in aqueous solutions. The grafting density of side chain affects the properties of brush complexes with curcumin.