Self-assembly of amphiphilic hyperbranched poly (aryl ether ketone)-block-poly (ethylene glycol) copolymer into microspheres with excellent thermal property

An amphiphilic hyperbranched rod-coil copolymer was synthesized by grafting linear poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) onto hydroxyl-terminated hyperbranched poly (aryl ether ketone) (OH-HPAEK). The molecular structure, the number-average molecular weight and the thermal properties of HPAEK-block-PEG were confirmed and characterized using proton nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis, respectively. The microspheres of HPAEK-block-PEG were fabricated by the method of self-assembly, and the morphology and diameter of the obtained microspheres were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering. The heat-treated experimental results demonstrated that the polymer microspheres possessed excellent thermal property that could stably exist even if heated at 130°C for 10 h. In addition, the diameter of the microspheres can be easily controlled by just adjusting the concentration of the copolymer.