Synthesis, characterization and self-assembly investigation of novel PEG-g-PCL copolymers by combination of ROP and ''click'' chemistry method as a sustained release formulation for hydrophobic drug

In this article, we report a novel design of micelles based on novel PEG-g-PCL copolymers that synthesized by combination of ring-opening polymerization and click chemistry. Prepolymers and graft copolymers were fully characterized by H-1-NMR and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Morphology and size distribution of micelles were analyzed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results showed that the self-assembling of these micelles can be done in a specific way. In another word, the hydrophobic segments are covered by PEGloops. Also, the quercetin-loading capacity and encapsulation efficiency decreased with increasing of PCL chain length and the obtained micelles show much slower drug release rate. [GRAPHICS] .