Complex and hierarchical micelle architectures from diblock copolymers using living, crystallization-driven polymerizations

Torben Gädt, Nga Sze Ieong, Graeme Cambridge, Mitchell A. Winnik, Ian Manners

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

414 Scopus citations

Abstract

Block copolymers consist of two or more chemically distinct polymer segments, or blocks, connected by a covalent link. In a selective solvent for one of the blocks, core-corona micelle structures are formed. We demonstrate that living polymerizations driven by the epitaxial crystallization of a core-forming metalloblock represent a synthetic tool that can be used to generate complex and hierarchical micelle architectures from diblock copolymers. The use of platelet micelles as initiators enables the formation of scarf-like architectures in which cylindrical micelle tassels of controlled length are grown from specific crystal faces. A similar process enables the fabrication of brushes of cylindrical micelles on a crystalline homopolymer substrate. Living polymerizations driven by heteroepitaxial growth can also be accomplished and are illustrated by the formation of tri- and pentablock and scarf architectures with cylinder-cylinder and platelet-cylinder connections, respectively, that involve different core-forming metalloblocks.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)144-150
Number of pages7
JournalNature Materials
Volume8
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2009
Externally publishedYes

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