Multicompartment Copolymer Micelles: effects of chain architecture, composition and interaction strength

ORAL

Abstract

Controlling the self-assembly of block copolymers in solution will enable engineering of multicompartment micelles (MCMs), with target structures for applications including drug delivery, or stimuli-responsive carriers. While extensive research has been carried out on amphiphilic di-block copolymers, little is known about the phase behavior of multiblock polymers in solution. In this work, a mesoscopic approach is used to explore the self-assembly behavior of tetrablock copolymers with varying architectures, block sequences, compositions, and interaction strengths. Our results are summarized in phase diagrams that reveal the influence of different parameters on the morphologies of MCMs. The results presented in this work could provide a useful guide for the synthesis of new MCMs.

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Presenters

  • Boyuan Yu

    Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago

Authors

  • Boyuan Yu

    Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago

  • Abelardo Ramirez-Hernandez

    COE BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Texas at San Antonio

  • Juan De Pablo

    University of Chicago, Chemical Eng., University of Chicago, The Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Institute for Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Institute for Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Institute for Molecular Engineering, Argonne National Laboratory