Light‐Induced Reversible Formation of Polymeric Micelles

Abstract

Reversible disruption and regeneration of block-copolymer micelles has been achieved by UV and visible-light irradiation and studied by atomic force microscopy (see picture). A hydrophobic dye encapsulated in the original polymeric micelles was released after UV irradiation. Remarkably, some of the released hydrophobic dye was re-encapsulated on regeneration of the micelles by irradiation with visible light.