title: Structural evolution of multicompartment micelles self-assembled from linear ABC triblock copolymer in selective solvents.
abstract: Using dissipative particle dynamics simulation, structural evolution from concentric multicompartment micelles to raspberry-like multicompartment micelles self-assembled from linear ABC triblock copolymers in selective solvents was investigated. The structural transformation from concentric micelles to raspberry-like micelles can be controlled by changing either the length of B blocks or the solubility of B block. It was found that the structures with B bumps on C surface (B-bump-C) are formed at shorter B block length and the structures with C bumps on B surface (C-bump-B) are formed at relative lower solubility of B blocks. The formation of B-bump-C is entropy-driven, while the formation of C-bump-B is enthalpy-dominated. Furthermore, when the length of C blocks is much lower than that of B blocks, an inner-penetrating vesicle was discovered. The results gained through the simulations provide an insight into the mechanism behind the formation of raspberry-like micelles.
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Liquan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shaoliang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jiaping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yongliang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008823:Micelles; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D012995:Solubility; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008823:Micelles; D011108:Polymers; D012997:Solvents