Micellization behavior of A-$b$-(B-\textit{alt}-C)$_{\mathrm{n}}$ multiblock terpolymers in a selective solvent for one terminal A-block

We used self-consistent field theory to investigate the micellization behavior of A-$b$-(B-\textit{alt}-C)$_{\mathrm{n}}$ multiblock terpolymers in the presence of a solvent that is selective to the terminal A-block. In particular, we focused on the effects of $\chi_{\mathrm{BC}}$, and $f_{\mathrm{A}}$, on the formation of micelles from ABC triblock and A(BC)$_3$ multiblock terpolymers, respectively. We observed a general trend that a segmented packing of B- and C-layers along the axial direction of the micelles is favored than the coaxial packing with the increasing of $\chi _{\mathrm{BC}}$ or decreasing of $f_{\mathrm{A}}$. The separation of B and C blocks within a micelle leads to the formation of a variety of multicompartment micelle morphologies, such as core-shell-corona spherical micelles, hamburgers, and bump-surface micelles, in the ABC triblock copolymers. In the A(BC)$_3$ multiblock terpolymers, we discovered more fascinating micelles by implementing the SCFT simulation than by the DPD simulation. Besides the BC-segmented worm-like micelles, which have been found in the DPD simulation work, concentric multilayer spheres and vesicles can be formed by the solvent-induced effect when the solvophilic A-block is a majority component.