Rational design of ABC triblock terpolymer solution nanostructures with controlled patch morphology

Tina I. Löbling, Oleg Borisov, Johannes S. Haataja, Olli Ikkala (), André H. Gröschel () and Axel H. E. Müller ()
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Tina I. Löbling: Macromolecular Chemistry II, University of Bayreuth
Oleg Borisov: Institut Pluridisciplinaire de Recherche sur l’Environnement et les Matériaux UMR 5254 CNRS/UPPA
Johannes S. Haataja: Aalto University School of Science
Olli Ikkala: Aalto University School of Science
André H. Gröschel: Aalto University School of Science
Axel H. E. Müller: Institute of Organic Chemistry, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz

Nature Communications, 2016, vol. 7, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract 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.

Date: 2016
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12097

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