Linear, stellar and hyperbranched copolymers with amphiphilic nature

Amphiphilic copolymers have distinct hydrophobic and hydrophilic segments in their structure. This unique molecular arrangement gives amphiphilic copolymers the ability to self-assemble in suitable solvents to form a variety of nanostructures such as micelles, vesicles or nanoparticles. Solvophobic regions align in a core structure to minimise contact with the solvent, while solvophilic segments interact favourably to form an outer layer that stabilises the nanostructure. The use of controlled or living polymerisation techniques allows precise control over molecular weight and chemical structure, including linear, branched, cross-linked and star configurations. Control of the amphiphilic balance is also achievable through controlled polymerisation, providing researchers with a versatile tool to tailor properties for specific applications. Amphiphilic copolymers have attracted considerable attention in a variety of fields. They serve as surfactants and emulsifiers, find applications in biomedical scenarios for drug delivery and encapsulation, contribute to the cosmetic industry for the preparation of physically cross-linked materials, and play a role in rheological applications. This work focuses on the development of amphiphilic copolymers with different architectures, including star, linear and hyperbranched copolymers. These copolymers have been synthesised using Radical Addition Fragmentation Chain-transfer Polymerisation (RAFT) and radical micellar polymerisation techniques. In particular, linear and hyperbranched copolymers were used to realise physically cross-linked hydrogels, while amphiphilic star-shaped copolymers were synthesised and tested as Viscosity Index Improvers (VIIs) for lubricant applications.