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Zhu Y, Huang C, Zhang L, Andelman D, Man X. The Process-Directed Self-Assembly of Block Copolymer Particles. Macromol Rapid Commun 2023; 44:e2300176. [PMID: 37071857 DOI: 10.1002/marc.202300176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023]
Abstract
The kinetic paths of structural evolution and formation of block copolymer (BCP) particles are explored using dynamic self-consistent field theory (DSCFT). It is shown that the process-directed self-assembly of BCP immersed in a poor solvent leads to the formation of striped ellipsoids, onion-like particles and double-spiral lamellar particles. The theory predicts a reversible path of shape transition between onion-like particles and striped ellipsoidal ones by regulating the temperature (related to the Flory-Huggins parameter between the two components of BCP, χAB ) and the selectivity of solvent toward one of the two BCP components. Furthermore, a kinetic path of shape transition from onion-like particles to double-spiral lamellar particles, and then back to onion-like particles is demonstrated. By investigating the inner-structural evolution of a BCP particle, it is identified that changing the intermediate bi-continuous structure into a layered one is crucial for the formation of striped ellipsoidal particles. Another interesting finding is that the formation of onion-like particles is characterized by a two-stage microphase separation. The first is induced by the solvent preference, and the second is controlled by the thermodynamics. The findings lead to an effective way of tailoring nanostructure of BCP particles for various industrial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Zhu
- Center of Soft Matter Physics and its Applications, School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Changhang Huang
- Center of Soft Matter Physics and its Applications, School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Liangshun Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - David Andelman
- School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Xingkun Man
- Center of Soft Matter Physics and its Applications, School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
- Peng Huanwu Collaborative Center for Research and Education, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China
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Harmat AL, Javan Nikkhah S, Sammalkorpi M. Dissipative particle dynamics simulations of H-shaped diblock copolymer self-assembly in solvent. POLYMER 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2021.124198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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3
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Kang J, Zhu J, Lin J, Han C, Liu K, Wang X. Ring Size-Dependent Solution Behavior of Macrocycles: Dipole–Dipole Attraction Counteracted by Excluded Volume Repulsion. Macromolecules 2021. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.1c01063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Junli Zhu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Jiaping Lin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, P. R. China
| | - Chenglong Han
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
| | - Kun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Supramolecular Structure and Materials, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, P. R. China
| | - Xiaosong Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
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Javan Nikkhah S, Turunen E, Lepo A, Ala-Nissila T, Sammalkorpi M. Multicore Assemblies from Three-Component Linear Homo-Copolymer Systems: A Coarse-Grained Modeling Study. Polymers (Basel) 2021; 13:polym13132193. [PMID: 34209428 PMCID: PMC8272115 DOI: 10.3390/polym13132193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Multicore polymer micelles and aggregates are assemblies that contain several cores. The dual-length-scale compartmentalized solvophobic–solvophilic molecular environment makes them useful for, e.g., advanced drug delivery, high-precision synthesis platforms, confined catalysis, and sensor device applications. However, designing and regulating polymer systems that self-assemble to such morphologies remains a challenge. Using dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations, we demonstrate how simple, three-component linear polymer systems consisting of free solvophilic and solvophobic homopolymers, and di-block copolymers, can self-assemble in solution to form well-defined multicore assemblies. We examine the polymer property range over which multicore assemblies can be expected and how the assemblies can be tuned both in terms of their morphology and structure. For a fixed degree of polymerization, a certain level of hydrophobicity is required for the solvophobic component to lead to formation of multicore assemblies. Additionally, the transition from single-core to multicore requires a relatively high solvophobicity difference between the solvophilic and solvophobic polymer components. Furthermore, if the solvophilic polymer is replaced by a solvophobic species, well-defined multicore–multicompartment aggregates can be obtained. The findings provide guidelines for multicore assemblies’ formation from simple three-component systems and how to control polymer particle morphology and structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sousa Javan Nikkhah
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
- Department of Physics, Bernal Institute, University of Limerick, V94T9PX Limerick, Ireland
- Correspondence: (S.J.N.); (M.S.)
| | - Elsi Turunen
- R&D and Technology, Kemira Oyj, P.O. Box 44, FI-02271 Espoo, Finland; (E.T.); (A.L.)
| | - Anneli Lepo
- R&D and Technology, Kemira Oyj, P.O. Box 44, FI-02271 Espoo, Finland; (E.T.); (A.L.)
| | - Tapio Ala-Nissila
- QTF Centre of Excellence, Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland;
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Mathematical Modelling and Department of Mathematical Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU, UK
| | - Maria Sammalkorpi
- Department of Chemistry and Materials Science, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
- Department of Bioproducts and Biosystems, School of Chemical Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 16100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
- Correspondence: (S.J.N.); (M.S.)
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5
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Ly DQ, Makatsoris C. Effects of the homopolymer molecular weight on a diblock copolymer in a 3D spherical confinement. BMC Chem 2019; 13:24. [PMID: 31384773 PMCID: PMC6661751 DOI: 10.1186/s13065-019-0541-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The morphologies of a diblock copolymer spherically confined within a homopolymer were investigated by using the static self-consistent field theory method. A homogeneous A-B diblock copolymer sphere was surrounded by a homopolymer C. Upon changing the diblock volume fraction, homopolymer molecular weight and the interaction between the copolymer and its surrounding environment, different morphologies of the sphere were observed. Our calculations confirmed that when the homopolymer molecular weight was high a complete macrophase separation between the copolymer and the homopolymer was obtained. However, when the homopolymer molecular weight was low the homopolymer penetrated into the copolymer microdomains, diluting the diblock copolymer and reduced the interaction between the diblock copolymer segments and hence preventing them from segregating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dung Q. Ly
- School of Physical Sciences and Computing, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK
| | - Charalampos Makatsoris
- School of Aerospace, Transportation and Manufacturing, Cranfield University, Cranfield, UK
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Lin B, Liu L, Zhang S, Huang J, He F, Qi M. From vesicles to micelles: microphase separation of amphiphilic dendrimer copolymers in a selective solvent. SOFT MATTER 2015; 11:8801-8811. [PMID: 26394064 DOI: 10.1039/c5sm01329a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The microphase separation of amphiphilic dendrimer copolymers in a selective solvent with different excluded volume effects (αS) is investigated using three-dimensional real space self-consistent field theory. The morphological transition of disorder-to-order and order-to-order is observed by systematically regulating the excluded volume effect parameter, interaction parameter of block species, and the spacer length of the second generation of the dendrimer. The ordered segregates of the dendrimer solution are observed with a stronger excluded volume effect due to the strong depletion effect of solvent on the dendrimer. The relative magnitude between hydrophobic block B and hydrophilic block C is very important for microphase separation: when they are equal (NB = NC), a structural shift from vesicles to micelles has been found upon increasing the interaction parameter, and the region of disordered morphology is controlled by the interfacial free energy (Uint); when NB > NC, the vesicular morphologies overwhelmingly appear in the ordered region and then NC increases to close to NB, and the ordered aggregates take a shift from vesicles to micelles. Furthermore, the amphiphilic block C of the dendrimer is intended to enlarge to NC > NB, the micellar morphology is dominant in the ordered regime with a stronger excluded volume effect, which contributes to the decrease in the hydrophobic block repulsion that is affected by the decrease in the entropic free energy (-TS). The knowledge obtained from the microphase separation of dendrimer solution induced by the excluded volume effect of selective solvent is full of referential significance in understanding the morphological transition from vesicles to micelles for the amphiphile in the field of soft matter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Lin
- College of Chemical Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming 525000, China.
| | - Lan Liu
- College of Chemical Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming 525000, China.
| | - Shijie Zhang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming 525000, China.
| | - Junzuo Huang
- College of Chemical Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming 525000, China.
| | - Fuan He
- College of Chemical Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming 525000, China.
| | - Minhua Qi
- College of Chemical Engineering, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Maoming 525000, China.
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Moreno N, Nunes SP, Peinemann KV, Calo VM. Topology and Shape Control for Assemblies of Block Copolymer Blends in Solution. Macromolecules 2015. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.5b01891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Moreno
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, ‡Center for Numerical Porous Media, §Advanced Membranes and Porous Material Center, and ∥Earth Science & Engineering and Applied Mathematics & Computational Science, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Makkah, Saudi Arabia 23955-6900
| | - Suzana P. Nunes
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, ‡Center for Numerical Porous Media, §Advanced Membranes and Porous Material Center, and ∥Earth Science & Engineering and Applied Mathematics & Computational Science, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Makkah, Saudi Arabia 23955-6900
| | - Klaus-Viktor Peinemann
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, ‡Center for Numerical Porous Media, §Advanced Membranes and Porous Material Center, and ∥Earth Science & Engineering and Applied Mathematics & Computational Science, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Makkah, Saudi Arabia 23955-6900
| | - Victor M. Calo
- Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering Division, ‡Center for Numerical Porous Media, §Advanced Membranes and Porous Material Center, and ∥Earth Science & Engineering and Applied Mathematics & Computational Science, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Makkah, Saudi Arabia 23955-6900
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8
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Ma S, Hu Y, Wang R. Self-Assembly of Polymer Tethered Molecular Nanoparticle Shape Amphiphiles in Selective Solvents. Macromolecules 2015. [DOI: 10.1021/ma5026219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shiying Ma
- Key
Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology of
Ministry of Education, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering,
State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry
and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing National Laboratory of Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
- College
of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Taishan University, Taian 271021, China
| | - Yi Hu
- Key
Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology of
Ministry of Education, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering,
State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry
and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing National Laboratory of Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
| | - Rong Wang
- Key
Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology of
Ministry of Education, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering,
State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry
and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing National Laboratory of Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
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Ma S, Qi D, Xiao M, Wang R. Controlling the localization of nanoparticles in assemblies of amphiphilic diblock copolymers. SOFT MATTER 2014; 10:9090-9097. [PMID: 25308862 DOI: 10.1039/c4sm01446d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We performed a dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) approach to study the self-assembly of AB diblock copolymer tethered nanoparticles (P) in dilute solutions. Different morphological aggregates, including spherical micelles, vesicles, disk-like micelles and rod-like micelles, were found by varying the interaction between block copolymers and nanoparticles. Most importantly, the nanoparticles can selectively localize in the different domains within the aggregates. When the repulsive interaction between block copolymers and nanoparticles aPA = aPB = 25, the nanoparticles are evenly distributed within the spherical micelles. While aPA or aPB increases, the nanoparticles gradually aggregate and separate from copolymers and then localize in the central portion of vesicular wall or disk-like and rod-like micelles. The degree of stretching of the tethered copolymer chains gradually grows with the increase of aPA or aPB, while the degree of stretching of solvophobic block B decreases when the morphologies change from spherical to disk-like micelles and further to rod-like micelles. This work illustrates that tuning the miscibility of copolymers and nanoparticles could be used to project the selective localization of nanoparticles within the aggregates self-assembled by diblock copolymer tethered nanoparticles in dilute solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiying Ma
- Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer Materials and Technology of Ministry of Education, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing National Laboratory of Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China.
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Wang R, Jiang Z, Yang H, Xue G. Side chain effect on the self-assembly of coil-comb copolymer by self-consistent field theory in two dimensions. POLYMER 2013. [DOI: 10.1016/j.polymer.2013.10.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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11
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Liu Z, Jiang ZB, Yang H, Bai SM, Wang R, Xue G. Crowding effect induced phase transition of amphiphilic diblock copolymer in solution. CHINESE JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10118-013-1346-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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