Patent ID: 8236899

Claim:
A method of making a zwitterionic block copolymer comprising: combining a living polymerization initiator with a first monomer under conditions effective to form a polymer comprising a first terminal block of the block copolymer; combining the polymer with a second monomer under conditions effective to form a copolymer having an intermediate region of the block copolymer attached with the first terminal block of the block copolymer; combining the copolymer with a third monomer under conditions effective to extend the copolymer to comprise a second terminal block of the block copolymer and thereby complete the zwitterionic block copolymer; and wherein the zwitterionic block copolymer comprises: the first terminal block comprising an amine and/or a protonated amine group at the terminal end thereof; the second terminal block comprising a carboxylic acid and/or a deprotonated carboxylic acid group at the terminal end thereof; and wherein each of the first and second terminal blocks independently comprises polymerized monomers selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, styrene, methyl(meth)acrylate, ethyl(meth)acrylate, butadiene, isoprene, and combinations thereof.