Nonequilibrium Colloids: Temperature-Induced Bouquet Formation of Flower-like Micelles as a Time-Domain-Shifting Macromolecular Heat Alert

High Resolution Image Download MS PowerPoint Slide Climate change requires enhanced autonomous temperature monitoring during logistics/transport. A cheap approach comprises the use of temperature-sensitive copolymers that undergo temperature-induced irreversible coagulation. The synthesis/characterization of pentablock copolymers (PBCP) starting from poloxamer PEO 130 - b -PPO 44 - b -PEO 130 (poly(ethylene oxide) 130 - b -poly(propylene oxide) 44 - b -poly(ethylene oxide) 130 ) and adding two terminal q PDMAEMA 85 (quaternized poly[(2-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] 85 ) blocks is presented. Mixing of PBCP solutions with hexacyanoferrate(III)/ferricyanide solutions leads to a reduction of the decane/water interfacial tension accompanied by a co/self-assembly toward flower-like micelles in cold water because of the formation of an insoluble/hydrophobic q PDMAEMA/ferricyanide complex. In cold water, the PEO/PPO blocks provide colloidal stability over months. In hot water, the temperature-responsive PPO block is dehydrated, leading to a pronounced temperature dependence of the oil–water interfacial tension. In solution, the sticky PPO segments exposed at the micellar corona cause a colloidal clustering above a certain threshold temperature, which follows Smoluchowski-type kinetics. This coagulation remains for months even after cooling, indicating the presence of a kinetically trapped nonequilibrium state for at least one of the observed micellar structures. Therefore, the system memorizes a previous suffering of heat. This phenomenon is linked to an exchange of q PDMAEMA-blocks bridging the micellar cores after PPO-induced clustering. The addition of ferrous ions hampers the exchange, leading to the reversible coagulation of Prussian blue loaded micelles. Hence, the Fe 2+ addition causes a shift from history monitoring to the sensing of the present temperature. Presumably, the system can be adapted for different temperatures in order to monitor transport and storage in a simple way. Hence, these polymeric “flowers” could contribute to preventing waste and sustaining the quality of goods (e.g., food) by temperature-induced bouquet formation, where an irreversible exchange of “tentacles” between the flowers stabilizes the bouquet at other temperatures as well.