6533b7ddfe1ef96bd1275384
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Rational design of ABC triblock terpolymer solution nanostructures with controlled patch morphology
Axel H. E. MüllerTina I. LöblingOlli IkkalaAndré H. GröschelO. V. BorisovJohannes S. Haatajasubject
Materials scienceNanostructureScienceta221ChemieGeneral Physics and AstronomyNanotechnology02 engineering and technology010402 general chemistry01 natural sciencesMicelleGeneral Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular BiologyArticleCopolymer[CHIM]Chemical SciencesLamellar structureSoft matterMultidisciplinaryta114VesicleBilayerQGeneral Chemistry021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology0104 chemical sciencesChemical engineeringPolymersome0210 nano-technologydescription
Block copolymers self-assemble into a variety of nanostructures that are relevant for science and technology. While the assembly of diblock copolymers is largely understood, predicting the solution assembly of triblock terpolymers remains challenging due to complex interplay of block/block and block/solvent interactions. Here we provide guidelines for the self-assembly of linear ABC triblock terpolymers into a large variety of multicompartment nanostructures with C corona and A/B cores. The ratio of block lengths NC/NA thereby controls micelle geometry to spheres, cylinders, bilayer sheets and vesicles. The insoluble blocks then microphase separate to core A and surface patch B, where NB controls the patch morphology to spherical, cylindrical, bicontinuous and lamellar. The independent control over both parameters allows constructing combinatorial libraries of unprecedented solution nanostructures, including spheres-on-cylinders/sheets/vesicles, cylinders-on-sheets/vesicles, and sheets/vesicles with bicontinuous or lamellar membrane morphology (patchy polymersomes). The derived parameters provide a logical toolbox towards complex self-assemblies for soft matter nanotechnologies.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-06-01 |