Cooperative Assembly of Block Copolymers with Deformable Interfaces: Toward Nanostructured Particles

Abstract

Block copolymers confined in emulsion droplets self-organize into polymeric particles, and cooperative self-assembly driven by deformable interfacial properties produces unprecedented structural motifs such as prolates of stacked lamellae, oblates with biomimetic nanoscale architecture, and spheres with tori or helices (see figure). Interface-mediated structural evolution provides a novel route for synthesizing functional particles with unique nanostructures.