Vesicles in Multiple Shapes: Fine-Tuning Polymersomes' Shape and Stability by Setting Membrane Hydrophobicity

Amphiphilic block-copolymers are known to self-assemble into micelles and vesicles. In this paper, we discuss the multiple options between and beyond these boundaries using amphiphilic AB diblock and ABC triblock copolymers. We adjust the final structure reached by the composition of the mixture, by...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polymers 2017-10, Vol.9 (10), p.483
Main Authors: Gaitzsch, Jens, Messager, Lea, Morecroft, Eloise, Meier, Wolfgang
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Block copolymers
Communication
Hydrophobicity
Micelles
Self-assembly
Tubes
Vesicles
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Summary:Amphiphilic block-copolymers are known to self-assemble into micelles and vesicles. In this paper, we discuss the multiple options between and beyond these boundaries using amphiphilic AB diblock and ABC triblock copolymers. We adjust the final structure reached by the composition of the mixture, by the preparation temperature, and by varying the time-scale of formation. This leads to the formation of vesicles and micelles, but also internal micelles in larger sheets, lamellar vesicles, and closed tubes, thus broadening the amount of self-assembly structures available and deepening our understanding of them.
ISSN:2073-4360
2073-4360
DOI:10.3390/polym9100483