Supramolecular self‐assembly of block copolymers in aqueous solution has received ever‐increasing interest over the past few decades due to diverse biological and technological applications in drug delivery, imaging, sensing and catalysis. In addition to relative block lengths, molecular weights and solution conditions, chain architectures of block copolymers can also dramatically affect their self‐assembling properties in selective solvents. This feature article mainly focuses on recent developments in the field of supramolecular self‐assembly of amphiphilic and double hydrophilic block copolymers (DHBCs) possessing nonlinear chain topologies, including miktoarm star polymers, dendritic–linear block copolymers, cyclic block copolymers and comb‐shaped copolymer brushes.
The self‐assembly of two types of linear ABA triblock copolymers confined in cylindrical nanopores is studied using simulated annealing. The effects of pore size and block copolymer chain architecture on morphology, chain conformations and bridging fraction are investigated. For the bulk cylinder‐forming copolymers, novel structures such as helices and stacked toroids form, which depend sensitively on the pore size. Several significant differences between the two types of copolymers are predicted and explained based on the differences in their chain conformations and chain architectures. A simple model is proposed to explain the mean square radius of gyration for the bridge and loop chains.
In this communication, β‐cyclodextrin modified quantum dots were used as a water‐soluble “supramolecular” cross‐linker (SCL) because of its surface's supramolecular activity. The guest monomer‐loaded SCL (mSCL) can be used to copolymerize with water‐soluble monomers leading to transparent hybrid supramolecular hydrogels. This simple and versatile method opens new venues for the preparation of hybrid supramolecular hydrogels and the host–guest chemistry of cyclodextrins.
Here, a simple and novel approach is reported for developing a new class of transparent chemical vapor sensors with a low power consumption, high sensitivity, good selectivity, and excellent environmental stability by depositing multiwalled carbon nanotubes on prepatterned polymer substrates using supramolecular assembly. The patterned polymer substrates were fabricated from block copolymers, whereas the supramolecular assembly between the carbon nanotubes and block copolymer is utilized for the selective localization of carbon nanotubes at the block copolymer–air interface. The thin film devices made from the block copolymer and carbon nanotubes are highly transparent (transmittance > 90%) and respond to a wide range of solvents of different polarity, both hydrophilic and hydrophobic, with good selectivity and fast response time.
Summary: The vapor‐based synthesis and characterization of a reactive polymer, poly[(4‐formyl‐p‐xylylene)‐co‐(p‐xylylene)] ( 1 ), have been reported. The reactive polymer coating enables the immobilization of oligosaccharides via the chemoselective aldehyde‐hydrazide coupling reaction.
The free volume (voids) distribution in the lamellae of the conventional symmetric and amphiphilic diblock copolymers is studied via Monte–Carlo simulation based on the standard bond fluctuation model. Both in the conventional and amphiphilic block copolymers the voids are found to concentrate on the interfaces between the incompatible units, the magnitude of the effect being unexpectedly significant. A crystalline‐like ordering of voids with increase of the incompatibility between the different repeated units in amphiphilic copolymers is first reported and implications of this peculiarity for the morphology and mechanical properties of the amphiphilic copolymers are discussed.
The preparation of self‐assembled polyaniline (PANi) microspheres via facile interfacial oxidation polymerization of aniline in the presence of DL ‐tartaric acid dopant is reported. Compared with PANis reported in the literature, the PANi prepared in this study exhibits a nanorod‐bundle morphology with exceptionally high crystallinity. These nanorods or nanorod bundles can self‐assemble into microspheres with unique alignment. The chemistry, morphology, and crystal structure of DL ‐tartaric acid doped microspheres were studied using SEM, TEM, SAED, XRD, and FTIR.
Summary: A series of helix‐coil diblock copolymers based on poly(ethylene oxide) and optically active helical poly{(+)‐2,5‐bis[4′‐((S)‐2‐methylbutoxy)phenyl]styrene} (PMBPS) were synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The synthetic methodology permitted straightforward preparation of the diblock copolymers with relatively low polydispersities and a broad range of compositions and molecular weights. Depending on the composing block length and the initial concentration, the copolymers self‐assembled into different supramolecular structures in aqueous solution, including spherical micelles, vesicles, multilamellar vesicles, large compound vesicles, and tubules.
Schematic representation of the synthesis of PEO‐b‐PMBPS block copolymers and their aggregation in aqueous solution. 相似文献
This paper focuses on the attachment of densely grafted polymer layers (polymer brushes) to various inorganic and polymeric substrates by the “grafting to” method. A brief overview of synthesis of polymer brushes by the method is first provided, with emphasis on chemical approaches to polymer attachment. The second part of the paper covers the synthesis of polymer layers via a recently developed macromolecular anchoring layer approach. Several examples of application of the grafting technique are presented for generation of hydrophobic, hydrophilic, gradient, and switchable surfaces.
Hydrogen‐bonded supramolecular copolymers were easily prepared by mixing cyclohexanetricarboxamides with three ( 1 ) and six ( 2 ) alkylsilyl groups, and supramolecular fibers were fabricated. When the composition of 1 and 2 was at or close to equimolarity, the supramolecular copolymer chain was found to have an alternating sequence. This was attributed to the fact that the steric factor of the alkylsilyl side chains effectively controls the unit sequence of the supramolecular polymer chain.
Summary: A methacrylate‐functionalized poly(ethylene glycol) macromonomer was copolymerized at the surface of methacrylate‐derivatized maghemite nanoparticles. After silylation of the magnetic core with methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane, two grafting procedures based on either a direct copolymerization reaction in water or an inverse emulsion polymerization were compared. A direct copolymerization led to low polymer surface amounts, whereas an inverse emulsion process allowed nanocomposite particles containing up to 90 wt.‐% polymer to be obtained.
TEM picture of maghemite‐PEG hybrid particles. 相似文献
We report a new type of step‐growth radical addition‐coupling polymerization (RACP) involving consecutive addition of carbon‐centered radical derived from α,α′‐dibromo dibasic ester to NO double bond of C‐nitroso compound followed by cross‐coupling of carbon‐centered radical and in situ formed nitroxyl radical, which produces alternating copolymers with high molecular weight and unimodal molecular weight distribution from saturated and unsaturated monomers.
A series of novel biodegradable random copolymers of 5‐benzyloxy‐1,3‐dioxan‐2‐one (5‐benzyloxy‐trimethylene carbonate, BTMC) and glycolide were synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization. The copolymers were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). The incorporation of BTMC units into the copolymer chains results in good solubility of the polymers in common solvents. The in vitro degradation rate can be tailored by adjusting the composition of the copolymers.
The in vitro degradation of the homopolymers and poly(BTMC‐co‐GA) copolymers. 相似文献
Conformational analysis of macromolecular structures reveals interesting higher‐order spatial arrangements. Analyzing these features as a function of time provides insights into the dynamical behavior of these systems and the identification of relevant subdomains. We present some visual‐analytic methods that we devised to explore the spatial‐temporal properties from molecular dynamics simulation data. These methods automatically detect common features and connect them to properties of interest. These methods yield physical insights that are not easily obtainable with existing methods for particle simulation data, as illustrated for polyacetylene interacting with a carbon nanotube.
Summary: Amphiphilic graft polyphosphazenes (EtTrp/PNIPAm‐PPP) with different mole ratios of hydrophobic groups to hydrophilic segments were synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization and subsequent substitution reactions. The self‐assembly behavior of these graft copolymers was studied in detail by TEM, SEM, CLSM, and AFM. Depending on the copolymer composition and common organic solvent employed in dialysis process, supramolecular aggregates ranging from network, nanospheres, high‐genus particles to macrophage‐like aggregates were produced with graft copolymers.
Summary: A simple method for the direct catalytic heterogeneous modification of polysaccharides is presented. The novel method is exemplified by the combination of organic acid‐catalyzed esterification and copper‐catalyzed Huisgen reaction (click chemistry) to attach a fluorescent probe to solid cellulose. The heterogeneous ‘organoclick’ derivatization of cellulose allows for a mild, highly modular surface modification of cellulose under environmentally benign reaction conditions.
Schematic of the combined organic acid‐catalyzed esterification and copper‐catalyzed Huisgen reaction (click chemistry) to modify a polysaccharide with a fluorescent probe. 相似文献
