Hybrid assemblies made from nanoparticles and block copolymers can exhibit collective properties that are different from those of individual nanoparticles. Collective properties of the hybrid assemblies depend on the spatial organization and alignment of nanoparticles as well as the properties of individual building blocks. Hybrid assemblies of nanoparticles display unique electronic, optical and magnetic properties as a result of coupling and exchange phenomena and have significant potential applications in the fields of biotechnology, biomedicine and electronics, among others. We investigate the self-assembly and aggregation behaviors of nanoparticles in hybrid assemblies made from amphiphilic block copolymers tethered nanoparticles using dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) approach. By varying the arm number of the tethered amphiphilic block copolymers, hydrophobic block chain length, and interaction parameter between nanoparticle and hydrophobic block, different morphological hybrid aggregates are obtained, including branching rod-like micelles, ring-like micelles, disk-like micelles, rod-like micelles and vesicles. Nanoparticles can localize in the center portion of vesicular walls, disk-like micelles, and cylindrical micelles as well as evenly distribute within the spherical micelles. Most importantly, the nanoparticles aggregate in the various micelles and form nanowires, nanorings and nanoclusters. Only using amphiphilic block copolymer tethered nanoparticles, hybrid vesicles including patchy vesicles, and heterogeneous vesicles are obtained. Moreover, nanoclusters with distinct number of nanoparticles in hybrid disk-like micelles and vesicles are fabricated through controlling the interactions.

Localization of nanoparticles controlled by amphiphilic block copolymer

2019 Spring National Meeting

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