Issue 7, 2022

Light-induced reversible self-assembly of multi-compartment patchy micelles

Abstract

Block copolymers represent an important class of nanomaterials that self-assemble into various hierarchical nanostructures with well-defined shapes and intriguing properties. However, effective and non-invasive routes to render reversible hierarchical self-assembly (RHSA) of block copolymers are relatively rare and limited, particularly in multicompartment patchy micelles. Moreover, there remains a great challenge to achieve multiple assembly structures from the same polymeric building block. Herein, we report a convenient strategy for light-induced RHSA of a light-responsive azobenzene-moiety-containing diblock copolymer, into an exciting variety of hierarchical self-assemblies. Programming the reversible assembly of patchy micelles into hierarchically complex structures is delicately constructed via a two-step, selective solvent-mediated self-assembly, that is, reversing micelles and swelling into subunits, followed by forming multi-compartment patchy micelles in mixed organic solvent/H2O. More intriguingly, an array of multi-compartment patchy micelles of different shapes could be disassembled into subunits upon UV irradiation and then reversibly reassembled upon exposure to 450 nm visible light as a result of the transcis isomerization of azobenzene moieties. This work not only offers an effective approach to creating various multicompartment patchy micelles with the same diblock polymer, but also provides new insights into reversible self-assembly driven by specific wavelength light.

Graphical abstract: Light-induced reversible self-assembly of multi-compartment patchy micelles

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Research Article
Submitted
21 дек 2021
Accepted
23 фев 2022
First published
23 фев 2022

Mater. Chem. Front., 2022,6, 908-915

Light-induced reversible self-assembly of multi-compartment patchy micelles

Y. Sun, B. Xu, X. Tao, X. Li and S. Lin, Mater. Chem. Front., 2022, 6, 908 DOI: 10.1039/D1QM01634B

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements