Complex micelles from the self-assembly of amphiphilic triblock copolymers in selective solvents.
The self-assembled microstructures of amphiphilic block copolymers depend on the selectivity of solvents for each block. By changing the selectivity of solvents, defined in terms of the repulsive interactions between the solvent and the hydrophilic/hydrophobic particles, an extensive simulation study on the spontaneous formation of complex micelles from amphiphilic triblock copolymers in a dilute solution is presented. The dynamic pathways in the formation of these assemblies have been investigated using a particle-based dissipative particle dynamics approach. In addition, the potential mechanism behind the formation of these microstructures has also been studied, which may be helpful in explaining how these aggregates are formed and in understanding the general principle of amphiphilic molecules.
Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, People's Republic of China.
Pengtao
P
He
Xuejin
X
Li
Dazhi
D
Kou
Mingge
M
Deng
Haojun
H
Liang