Tunable interactions of polyoxometalate-based brushlike hybrids in solvents of variable quality: from self-recognition to supramolecular recognition.
The controllable interactions of a spherical polymer brush modeled by a poly(styrene-b-4-vinylpyridinium methyl iodide)-polyoxometalate composite micelle, SVP-6, with a polyoxometalate-based supramolecular star polymer, PSP-4, in solvents of variable quality allow us to tune their self-assembly behaviors from self-recognition to supramolecular recognition. In the former case, isolated, contractive spheres together with a few vesicles formed by PSP-4 coexist with multimicelle aggregates formed by SVP-6, whereas SVP-6 is hosted inside the vesicle of PSP-4 in the latter case. This work represents an important step toward the development and understanding of programmable self-assembly of brushlike polymers into complex materials.
Key Laboratory of Nonferrous Metals Chemistry and Resources Utilization of Gansu Province, and College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000 PR China.
Qian
Q
Zhang
Yin
Y
Liao
Weifeng
W
Bu