Rational controlled morphological transitions in the self-assembled multi-headed giant surfactants in solution

Abstract

A series of multi-headed giant surfactants based on polystyrene (PS)-polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane(s) (POSS) conjugates, with a different number and topology of POSS heads, are found to self-assemble into different supramolecular structures including vesicles, cylindrical and spherical micelles in H2O/DMF mixed solvents. The transitions among different morphologies can be rationally controlled by tuning the number and topology of POSS heads, as well as the macromolecular concentration.