嵌段共聚物结晶性胶束

近年来嵌段共聚物在选择性溶剂中由结晶驱动形成胶束的自组装过程因其较好的可控性逐渐受到人们的关注.本文首先综述了嵌段共聚物结晶性胶束形貌和尺寸的影响因素,包括溶剂环境、共聚物结构、结晶温度等.然后介绍了结晶性胶束的活性生长以及"嵌段共胶束";最后提出了该研究领域目前存在的问题和今后可能的发展方向.     

ABC三嵌段共聚物胶束从多间隔结构到多核结构转变的Monte Carlo模拟

采用Monte Carlo模拟方法研究了疏水-亲水-疏水(H-P-H)型ABC三嵌段共聚物在B嵌段的选择性溶剂中的自组装行为. 模拟结果表明, 通过调节A嵌段和C嵌段的疏水性和二者之间的不相容性, 体系中可以形成多种形貌各异的胶束. 根据胶束中疏水核结构的特点, 这些胶束大体上可以被分为多核型胶束和多间隔型胶束两种类型. 通过增强疏水嵌段的疏水性或降低A嵌段和C嵌段间的不相容性, H-P-H型ABC三嵌段共聚物胶束能够发生从多核型胶束向多间隔型胶束的转变. 进一步分析胶束中聚合物的链构象等微观结构信息发现, A嵌段和C嵌段间的排斥作用和疏水作用之间存在竞争关系, 而这种竞争关系是影响体系中形成多核型胶束还是多间隔型胶束的决定性因素.     

两亲性/双疏性嵌段共聚物共混体系的自组装行为研究

采用耗散粒子动力学方法,研究了两亲性嵌段共聚物和双疏性嵌段共聚物共混体系的自组装行为,探讨了双疏性嵌段共聚物的浓度以及双疏性嵌段共聚物的嵌段体积分数对聚集体结构的影响.结果表明,随着双疏性嵌段共聚物浓度的增加,聚集体发生自囊泡到棒状胶束再到同心圆多舱胶束的转变,且当浓度较高时,同心圆多舱胶束的同心圆层数量与浓度密切相关.当双疏性嵌段共聚物中的嵌段体积分数降低时,球形胶束由同心圆结构转变为非同心圆结构.此外,利用Minkowski泛函方法表征了多舱胶束的形成过程,发现这是一个先形成大尺度球形结构、再形成小尺度内核结构的分级组装过程.     

环形嵌段共聚物的胶束化行为模拟

利用Monte Carlo模拟, 对比了相同组成下环形二嵌段共聚物AB和线形三嵌段共聚物ABA在选择性溶剂中的胶束化行为. 结果发现, 相同链组成的环形和线形嵌段共聚物的临界胶束浓度(cmc)的差别与A嵌段的比例(f_A)及B嵌段间的吸引强度(ε)密切相关. 在f_A较小、 ε较大的情况下, 相应环形嵌段共聚物的cmc值更小; 而在f_A较大、 ε较小的情况下, 线形嵌段共聚物的cmc值更小. 为了进一步理解胶束化行为同f_A及ε的关系, 计算了胶束化过程中熵和势能部分对自由能的贡献. 结果表明, 在所研究的f_A和ε范围内, 环形嵌段共聚物形成胶束时的熵损失更小, 因而从熵贡献角度来看, 环形嵌段共聚物更易发生胶束化. 而从势能贡献角度来看, 当f_A较小、 ε较大时, 环形嵌段共聚物形成胶束时势能有较大程度的降低, 对自由能的贡献更大, 因而此时环形嵌段共聚物更易发生胶束化. 而当f_A较大、 ε较小时, 线形嵌段共聚物形成胶束时势能有较大程度的降低, 对自由能的贡献更大, 因而此时线形嵌段共聚物更易发生胶束化. 由此可见, 对体系的胶束化自由能进行系统分析, 有助于更好地理解环形和线形嵌段共聚物的胶束化行为.     

ABA两亲性嵌段共聚物在双选择性溶剂中自组装行为的Monte Carlo模拟

采用Monte Carlo模拟方法研究了ABA两亲性三嵌段共聚物在两种选择性溶剂中的自组装行为.模拟结果表明,在保证溶剂总浓度一定的情况下,改变两种选择性溶剂的体积比对于ABA两亲性嵌段共聚物自组装所形成的胶束形貌结构有很大影响.随着双选择性溶剂体积比的改变,体系中胶束形貌结构将会发生由囊泡到层状,再到环状、棒状直至球...     

球壳受限下非对称两嵌段共聚物自组装行为的Monte Carlo模拟研究

采用Monte Carlo模拟方法研究了受限在球壳中的非对称两嵌段共聚物的自组装行为,发现球壳边界与少组分嵌段间的弱排斥作用有利于少组分嵌段形成贯通壳体的多支化柱状结构,且贯穿柱状结构的形成不依赖球壳厚度.然而当球壳厚度很薄时,无论边界对嵌段共聚物有无相互作用,少组分嵌段均可形成与壳面垂直并贯通壳体的规整柱状结构.通过对球壳中嵌段共聚物链取向的分析,给出了球壳厚度及球壳边界与少组分嵌段间排斥作用对柱状结构在球壳中取向的影响规律.     

环形嵌段共聚物的胶束化行为模拟简

利用Monte Carlo模拟,对比了相同组成下环形二嵌段共聚物AB和线形三嵌段共聚物ABA在选择性溶剂中的胶束化行为. 结果发现,相同链组成的环形和线形嵌段共聚物的临界胶束浓度(cmc)的差别与A嵌段的比例(fA)及B嵌段间的吸引强度(ε)密切相关. 在fA较小、ε较大的情况下,相应环形嵌段共聚物的cmc值更小;而在fA较大、ε较小的情况下,线形嵌段共聚物的cmc值更小. 为了进一步理解胶束化行为同fA及ε的关系,计算了胶束化过程中熵和势能部分对自由能的贡献. 结果表明,在所研究的fA和ε范围内,环形嵌段共聚物形成胶束时的熵损失更小,因而从熵贡献角度来看,环形嵌段共聚物更易发生胶束化. 而从势能贡献角度来看,当fA较小、ε较大时,环形嵌段共聚物形成胶束时势能有较大程度的降低,对自由能的贡献更大,因而此时环形嵌段共聚物更易发生胶束化. 而当fA较大、ε较小时,线形嵌段共聚物形成胶束时势能有较大程度的降低,对自由能的贡献更大,因而此时线形嵌段共聚物更易发生胶束化. 由此可见,对体系的胶束化自由能进行系统分析,有助于更好地理解环形和线形嵌段共聚物的胶束化行为.     

多分散性对两亲性两嵌段共聚物在选择性溶剂中自组装行为影响的Monte Carlo模拟

采用Monte Carlo模拟方法研究了多分散性AB两亲性两嵌段共聚物在选择性溶剂中的自组装行为.模拟结果表明,嵌段共聚物的多分散性对体系在选择性溶剂中自组装所形成的胶束形貌结构有很大影响.当AB两嵌段共聚物的多分散系数由1.0增加至1.4时,体系中自组装所形成的胶束将会发生由囊泡到片层直至球状的一系列形态转变.通过统...     

嵌段共聚物胶束薄膜空穴化结构形成的研究

用原子力显微镜研究了嵌段共聚物胶束薄膜的空穴化结构.结果表明,嵌段共聚物胶束薄膜的空穴化强烈地依赖于所用酸中氢离子的数目,只有使用一元酸时才能得到空穴化结构,而二元酸和三元酸都得不到空穴化结构.提出了形成空穴化结构可能的机理.运用选择性溶剂蒸气和一元酸分别处理胶束薄膜,得到了相同的表面形貌.     

聚丙烯与聚酯-聚醚多嵌段共聚物共混的研究

聚丙烯和聚酯-聚醚多嵌段共聚物的熔融共混物是微多相分散体系,其力学性能和软链段的结构有关。DSC和偏光显微镜图分别表明共混物中聚丙烯结晶度以及球晶尺寸随聚酯-聚醚的混入量而变小。聚丙烯和少量聚酯-聚醚多嵌段共聚物共混,可改进聚丙烯的流变性,吸湿性和染色性。     

Multicompartment micelles from star and linear triblock copolymer blends

Dissipative particle dynamics simulations were performed on multicompartment micelles formed by blending star and linear triblock copolymers, in which the influences of blending options and blending ratio as well as copolymer chain compositions were studied systematically. The results show that blending of copolymers with different architectures is a promising strategy to control the morphology and structure of multicompartment micelles. This work revealed several new morphologies of multicompartment micelles by blending star and linear triblock copolymers, and the dynamic processes were elucidated at the molecular level by tracing the motions of copolymer chains. The results of this work provide deep insight into micro/mesoscopic details of the underlying mechanisms, contributing to a more complete understanding of multicompartment micelle formation and structural control.     

Self-assembly of amphiphilic ABC star triblock copolymers and their blends with AB diblock copolymers in solution: self-consistent field theory simulations

The self-assembled morphologies of amphiphilic ABC star triblock copolymers consisting of hydrophilic A blocks and hydrophobic B and C blocks and the blends with their counterpart linear AB diblock copolymers in solution are investigated by 2D real-space implementation of self-consistent field theory (SCFT) simulation. The star triblock copolymers self-assemble in solution to form various micellar structures from hamburger, to segmented wormlike, to toroidal segmented micelles, and finally to vesicles with simultaneously increasing hydrophobic lengths of blocks B and C. When the length of hydrophobic blocks B and C is asymmetric, specific bead-on-string worm micelles are found. Particularly, when the star ABC triblock copolymer is in a strong segregation regime and both B and C blocks are strongly hydrophobic, quite long segmented wormlike micelles are obtained, which had not been found in previously investigated diblock and linear ABC triblock copolymers solution. Additionally, raspberry micelles with beads dispersed on the core also occur in the strong segregation regime of bulk star ABC triblock copolymers. Furthermore, the aggregate morphology of ABC star triblock copolymers is strongly influenced by the addition of linear AB diblock copolymers. The most significant feature is that the long segmented worms will become shorter, to form hamburger micelles with the addition of AB diblock copolymers. These simulations are in good agreement with the experimental findings by Lodge's group.     

Highly Symmetric Patchy Multicompartment Nanoparticles from the Self-Assembly of ABC Linear Terpolymers in C-Selective Solvents

Multicompartment micelles, especially those with highly symmetric surfaces such as patchy-like, patchy, and Janus micelles, have tremendous potential as building blocks of hierarchical multifunctional nanomaterials. One of the most versatile and powerful methods to obtain patchy multicompartment micelles is by the solution-state self-assembly of linear triblock copolymers. In this article, we applied the simulated annealing method to study the self-assembly of ABC linear terpolymers in C-selective solvents. Simulations predict a variety of patchy and patchy-like multicompartment micelles with high symmetry and also yield a detailed phase diagram to reveal how to control the patchy multicompartment micelle morphologies precisely. The phase diagram demonstrates that the internal segregated micellar structure depends on the ratio between the volume fractions of the two solvophobic blocks and their incompatibility, whereas the overall micellar shape depends on the copolymer concentration. The relationship between the interfacial energy, stretching energy of chains and the micellar morphology, micellar morphological transition are elucidated by computing the average contact number among the species, the mean square end-to-end distances of the whole terpolymers, the AB blocks in the terpolymers, the AB diblock copolymers, and angle distribution of terpolymers. The anchoring effect of the solvophilic C block on micellar structures is also examined by comparing the morphologies formed from ABC terpolymers and AB diblock copolymers.     

Organized polymerization of functional diblock copolymers possessing central isoprene groups

Functional diblock copolymers possessing central isoprene groups were synthesized by anionic addition in a three-stage process using styrene, isoprene, and 2-vinylpyridine monomers. These diblock copolymers formed microphase-separated structure in the solid state. Where the central isoprene groups are organized regularly at the domain interface of the microphase-separated structure, this is due to the functional groups being located at the block junction position. Addition-condensation of diblock copolymer film with sulfur monochloride formed A_nB_n star block copolymers by organization effects. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Reactively and physically compatibilized immiscible polymer blends: stability of the copolymer at the interface

This paper reports on the interfacial behaviour of block and graft copolymers used as compatibilizers in immiscible polymer blends. A limited residence time of the copolymer at the interface has been shown in both reactive blending and blend compatibilization by preformed copolymers. Polystyrene (PS)/polyamide6 (PA6), polyphenylene oxide (PPO)/PA6 and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)/PA6 blends have been reactively compatibilized by a styrene-maleic anhydride copolymer SMA. The extent of miscibility of SMA with PS, PPO and PMMA is a key criterion for the stability of the graft copolymer at the interface. For the first 10 to 15 minutes of mixing, the in situ formed copolymer is able to decrease the particle size of the dispersed phase and to prevent it from coalescencing. However, upon increasing mixing time, the copolymer leaves the interface which results in phase coalescence. In PS/LDPE blends compatibilized by preformed PS/hydrogenated polybutadiene (hPB) block copolymers, a tapered diblock stabilizes efficiently a co-continuous two-phase morphology, in contrast to a triblock copolymer that was unable to prevent phase coarsening during annealing at 180°C for 150 minutes.     

Aggregation Behavior of Polyether Block Copolymers with Dendritic Structure in Aqueous Solutions

Two dendritic block copolymers with the same contents of PPO and PEO but different branches and blocks were synthesized by anion polymerization. Their aggregation behavior and aggregation morphology were investigated by steady-state fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy. For SD64 copolymer with PPO-PEO diblock branch, it can be proved that only intermolecular aggregates are formed, the aggregation number and aggregation diameter are increased with concentration. Whereas for SD343 dendritic copolymer with PPO-PEO-PPO triblock branch, hydrophobic PPO chains located on the edge of SD343 copolymers can associate within the same polymer chain and also between different polymer chains, so the aggregates were inclined to change from intramolecular micelles to intermolecular clusters with concentration increasing.     

Dissipative Particle Dynamics Study of the Formation of Multicompartment Micelles from ABC Star Triblock Copolymers in Water

Summary: Dissipative particle dynamics simulation was performed to study the formation of multicompartment micelles from ABC star triblock copolymers in water. The study revealed some new morphologies that had not been observed before and also provided a direct visualization of the evolution of wormlike multicompartment micelles that follows the fusion process. Thus, this work provides molecular understanding of multicompartment micelles which will be useful for the future rational synthesis of novel micelles.

Multicompartment micelles formed from ABC star triblock copolymers in water by DPD simulations.     

Multicompartment Micelles From π-Shaped ABC Block Copolymers

Dissipative particle dynamics simulations were performed on the morphology and structure of multicompartmerit micelles formed from n-shaped ABC block copolymers in water. The influences of chain architectures were studied in a systematic way, and a rich variety of morphologies were observed, such as spherical, wormlike, X-shaped, Y-shaped, ribbon-like, layered rod-like, layered disk-like, as well as network morphologies. The simulations show that the distance between the two grafts plays an important role in control of the morphology. Since n-shaped ABC block copolymers can be reduced to linear ABC and star ABC block copolymers, they are good model copolymers for studying the self-assembly of complex block copolymers into micelles. The knowledge obtained in this work as well as the new morphologies identified provide useful information for future rational design and synthesis of novel multicompartment micelles.     

pH Responsivity and micelle formation of gradient copolymers of methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate in aqueous solution

A series of gradient copolymers of methacrylic acid (MAA)/methyl methacrylate (MMA) with four end-to-end composition profiles (uniform, linear gradient, triblock with linear gradient midblock, and diblock) but all having an average chain composition of ?F(MMA) ≈ 0.5 and an average chain length of 200 were synthesized via model-based, computer-programmed, semibatch atom-transfer radical copolymerization (ATRcoP). These samples allowed us to investigate systematically the effects of the gradient composition profile on the pH responsivity and micelle formation of the copolymers in an aqueous solution. Measurements included light transmittance, TEM, AFM, DLS, (1)H NMR, and pH titration. It was found that linear gradient, triblock, and diblock copolymers formed spherical micelles at high pH. The micelles of the linear gradient copolymer contained MMA units in their hydrophilic shells, and those of the triblock and diblock copolymers had all of their MMA units residing in their cores. The composition profile showed a strong effect on the degree of acid dissociation at a given pH. The conformational transition of the copolymer chains was determined by both the pH value and composition profile. Copolymers having sharper gradients required a lower pH to trigger the conformational transition and a narrower pH range to complete the transition.     

嵌段结构对两亲嵌段共聚物水溶液行为的影响

在合成了二种具有相同组成不同嵌段结构排布的共聚物基础上对它们溶液的物理化学行为用荧光探针的方法进行了研究，结果表明：由于结构排布的不同其物理化学行为有着较大的差异，三嵌段结构的共聚物较二嵌段者更易于形成胶束体系，而二嵌段共聚物则易于发生凝胶化，对上述结果进行讨论和解释．