Abstract
Although solution self-assembly of block copolymers (BCFs) represent one of the most promising approaches to the creation of nanoparticles from soft matter, the formation of non-centrosymmetric nanostructures with shape anisotropy remains a major challenge. Through a combination of crystallization-driven self-assembly of crystalline-coil BCPs in solution and selective micelle corona cross-linking, we have created short (about 130 nanometers), monodisperse cylindrical seed micelles that grow unidirectionally. These nanostructures grow to form long, non-centrosymmetric cylindrical A-B and A-B-C block co-micelles upon the addition of further BCPs. We also illustrate the formation of amphiphilic cylindrical A-B-C block co-micelles, which spontaneously self-assemble into hierarchical star-shaped supermicelle architectures with a diameter of about 3 micrometers. The method described enables the rational of creaction of non-centrosymmetric, high aspect ratio, colloidally stable core-shell nanoparticles in a manner that until now has been restricted to the biological domain.micelle core together with insight into the role of polymer crystallinity in the self-assembly of these and potentially related crystalline-coil block copolymers.
| Translated title of the contribution | Probing the Structure of the Crystalline Core of Field-Aligned, Monodisperse, Cylindrical Polyisoprene-block-Polyferrocenylsilane Micelles in Solution Using Synchrotron Small- and Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering |
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| Original language | English |
| Pages (from-to) | 559-562 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Science |
| Volume | 337 |
| Issue number | 6094 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 3 Aug 2012 |