Non-Centrosymmetric Cylindrical Micelles by Unidirectional Growth

Although solution self-assembly of block copolymers (BCPs) represents 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-...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2012-08, Vol.337 (6094), p.559-562
Main Authors: Rupar, Paul A., Chabanne, Laurent, Winnik, Mitchell A., Manners, Ian
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anisotropy
Applied sciences
Asymmetry
Blocking
Capping
Copolymers
Covalence
Cylinders
European Union
Exact sciences and technology
Inorganic and organomineral polymers
Materials science
Memory interference
Micelles
Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
Molecular structure
Nanoparticles
Nanoparticles - chemistry
Nanoparticles - ultrastructure
Nanostructures
Nanotechnology - methods
Physicochemistry of polymers
Polymers
Polymers - chemistry
Properties and characterization
Self assembly
Solvents
Tissue engineering
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Summary:Although solution self-assembly of block copolymers (BCPs) represents 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 creation of non-centrosymmetric, high aspect ratio, colloidally stable core-shell nanoparticles in a manner that until now has been restricted to the biological domain.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1221206