We present a flexible route for the directed self-assembly of ABC triblock terpolymers into spherical or worm-like multicompartment micelles (MCMs) simply by choosing the right solvent conditions and solvent sequences. The presented concept is applicable to almost any terpolymer and circumvents up-to-date problems in MCMs preparation such as the necessity of complex polymer architectures, aid of additives or specialized monomers and/or monomer sequences. Not only can we direct and control the assembly process, but also describe parameters that determine the hierarchical step-growth polymerization of patchy micelles into worm-like superstructures. In particular, for triblock terpolymers with a pH- and temperature-responsive corona block, e.g. PDMAEMA, we can control the length of these worm-like MCMs by changing pH. As a further application we demonstrate a novel solution-based synthesis of Janus micelles using the unique architecture of spherical MCMs as templates.

Stimuli-responsive multi-compartment core micelles from ABC triblock terpolymers

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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