Synthesis, surface and aggregation properties of glucosamide-grafted amphiphilic glycopolysiloxanes

Three glucosamide-grafted amphiphilic glycopolysiloxanes (APFPS-GL) were synthesized through a two-step method. First, the aminopropyl functional polysiloxanes (APFPS) were synthesized by equilibrium polymerization; then, gluconolactone was conjugated to the APFPS via ring-opening reaction to give the glycopolysiloxanes APFPS-GL. The final compositions of the amphiphilic glycopolysiloxanes were characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR. Surface activities and aggregation behavior in aqueous solution of these three glycopolysiloxanes were investigated by surface tension measurements, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results show that these three glycopolysiloxanes have much higher surface activity than those of conventional carbon–carbon chain glycopolymers in aqueous solution and they can self-assemble into spherical micelles with average diameters in the range from 200 to 600 nm.