title: Counterion-mediated hierarchical self-assembly of an ABC miktoarm star terpolymer.
abstract: Directed self-assembly processes of polymeric systems represent a powerful approach for the generation of structural hierarchy in analogy to biological systems. Herein, we utilize triiodide as a strongly polarizable counterion to induce hierarchical self-assembly of an ABC miktoarm star terpolymer comprising a polybutadiene (PB), a poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) (PtBMA), and a poly(N-methyl-2-vinylpyridinium) (P2VPq) segment. Hereby, the miktoarm architecture in conjunction with an increasing ratio of triiodide versus iodide counterions allows for a stepwise assembly of spherical micelles as initial building blocks into cylindrical structures and superstructures thereof. Finally, micrometer-sized multicompartment particles with a periodic lamellar fine structure are observed, for which we introduce the term "woodlouse". The counterion-mediated decrease in hydrophilicity of the corona-forming P2VPq block is the underlying trigger to induce this hierarchical structure formation. All individual steps and the corresponding intermediates toward these well-defined superstructures were intensively studied by scattering and electron microscopic techniques, including transmission electron microtomography.
authors.affiliation: Makromolekulare Chemie II, Universität Bayreuth, D-95440 Bayreuth, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hanisch
authors.forename: André H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Gröschel
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Förtsch
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Drechsler
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jinnai
authors.forename: Thomas M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Ruhland
authors.forename: Felix H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Schacher
authors.forename: Axel H E
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D007454:Iodides / Q000737:chemistry; D008823:Micelles; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D011108:Polymers / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007454:Iodides; D008823:Micelles; D011108:Polymers