Supramolecular guests in solvent driven block copolymer assembly: From internally structured nanoparticles to micelles.

ABSTRACT: Supramolecular interactions between different hydrogen-bonding guests and poly(2-vinyl pyridine)-block-poly (styrene) can be exploited to prepare remarkably diverse self-assembled nanostructures in dispersion from a single block copolymer (BCP). The characteristics of the BCP can be efficiently controlled by tailoring the properties of a guest which preferentially binds to the P2VP block. For example, the incorporation of a hydrophobic guest creates a hydrophobic BCP complex that forms phase separated nanoparticles upon self-assembly. Conversely, the incorporation of a hydrophilic guest results in an amphiphilic BCP complex that forms spherical micelles in water. The ability to tune the self-assembly behavior and access dramatically different nanostructures from a single BCP substra

SUBMITTER: Klinger D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4267284 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature