The maturing techniques of controlled free radical polymerization allow for the synthesis of increasingly complex polymeric amphiphiles. These can self-assemble into a plethora of mesoscopic aggregates and colloids depending on their precise structure and architecture. We report on the preparation of complex polymer colloids in aqueous media made from block copolymers, mostly based on multi-step RAFT polymerizations. While ternary linear block copolymers ABC enable the reversible, stepwise aggregation and disassembly of such colloids when exhibiting up to three segmental phase transitions, ABC polymers with highly incompatible blocks enable the preparation of multicompartment micelles capable of site-selective solubilization. Structural complexity can be even increased when superposing block and graft copolymerization, leading to A(graft-C)-block-B(graft-D) molecular bottle-brush block copolymers. These may behave as 'giant surfactants' and can form stable latex particles by direct aqueous self-assembly

Molecularly designed polymer colloids: From giant surfactants to multicompartment micelles

244th National Meeting (2012)

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