Special Issue "Non-Equilibrium Blockcopolymer Self-Assembly"

Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. Felix H. Schacher
Institut für Organische Chemie und Makromolekulare Chemie, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Lessingstr. 8, Room 122, 07743 Jena, Germany
Website: http://www.jenano.de
E-Mail: felix.schacher@uni-jena.de
Interests: polymer synthesis; block copolymers; self-assembly; interpolyelectrolyte complexation; stimuli-responsive materials

Dear Colleagues,

The last decades have witnessed great and (sometimes) unpredicted progress in the generation of sophisticated nanostructures from block copolymers in different microenvironments such as the solution state, in thin-films, or as bulk materials. Besides the wide variety of available building blocks, one intriguing feature of block copolymer self-assembly is that one single material can adopt different morphologies, depending on the surrounding conditions. Subtle changes in the environment, suitable additives, crystallization occurring, confinement, or simply changes in the solvent sequence or the temperature (pathway) during self-assembly can lead to the formation of kinetically trapped nanostructures. In some cases, this even enables the hierarchical organization of well-defined soft matter building blocks over several length scales.

In that respect, this issue is intended to highlight recent advances concerning all aspects of non-equilibrium block copolymer self-assembly as well as possible applications in diverse fields like, e.g., materials science, biotechnology, or supramolecular chemistry.

Prof. Dr. Felix H. Schacher
Guest Editor

Submission

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Type of Paper: Review 
Title: Precise Synthesis of Block Polymers by Means of Living Anionic Polymerization
Author: Akira Hirao
Affiliation: Polymeric and Organic Materials Department, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, S1-6, 2-12-1, Ohokayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan; E-Mail: ahirao@polymer.titech.ac.jp
Abstract: In this review, we would like to introduce the precise synthesis of synthetically difficult diblock copolymers, triblock terpolymers, and multiblock copolymers by a sequential polymerization where two or more monomers are sequentially added to the initiator. For these syntheses, the methodology using a specially designed linking reaction in conjunction with the sequential polymerization has been developed. With this methodology, new molecular weight and structurally asymmetry triblock copolymers, A-B-A', triblock terpolymers, A-C-B, B-A-C, multiblock co- and terpolymers, A-B-C-A-B-C, and (A-B)n, have been successfully synthesized.

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Controlled Break-down of pH-sensitive Microparticles Formed by Amphiphilic Triblock Copolyelectrolytes
Authors: Marli Miriam de Souza Lima ^1,2, Christophe Chassenieux ¹, Taco Nicolai ¹, Olivier Colombani ¹
Affiliation: ¹ LUNAM Université du Maine IMMM - UMR CNRS 6283, Département Polymères, Colloïdes et Interfaces, av. O. Messiaen, 72085 Le Mans cedex 9, France;
² UEM – Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Pharmacy Department, Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Technology, Av Colombo, 5790, Maringá, Paraná, Brasil
Abstract: We have studied the break-down of microparticles (Rh=200nm) formed by self-assembly of amphiphilic triblock copolyelectrolytes in water. The copolyelectrolytes consisted of a central hydrophilic poly(acrylic acid) block and two lateral hydrophobic poly(nbutyl acrylate-co-acrylic acid) blocks. In water the hydrophobic blocks self-assemble into microparticles consisting of several dense hydrophobic cores bridged by hydrophilic blocks. Upon dilution in buffer solutions, the microparticles break down at a rate controlled by the life time of the hydrophobic blocks within the cores. The rate of break-down was strongly pH-sensitive, rendering these microparticles potentially interesting for controlled drug release.