Customizing wormlike mesoscale structures via self-assembly of amphiphilic star polymers

Author(s)
Christian Koch, Athanassios Z. Panagiotopoulos, Federica Lo Verso, Christos N. Likos
Abstract

We examine the phase behavior of end-functionalized diblock copolymer stars by means of Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulations. We focus on solutions of diblock copolymer stars with a solvophobic outer block shorter than the solvophilic inner block, which are expected to nucleate microphase aggregates. By tuning the temperature and rigidity of the molecules, we target specific mesoscale structures, which can act as powerful rheology modifiers. In particular, we control the hierarchical self-assembly of single micelles in a "pearl-necklace'' fashion, which eventually merge into elongated, wormlike supermicelles.

Organisation(s)
Computational and Soft Matter Physics
External organisation(s)
Princeton University, Donostia International Physics Centre (DIPC)
Journal
Soft Matter
Volume
11
Pages
3530-3535
No. of pages
6
ISSN
1744-683X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/c5sm00219b
Publication date
2015
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
103036 Theoretical physics, 103023 Polymer physics, 103029 Statistical physics
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Condensed Matter Physics, General Chemistry
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/20b719f6-f1b6-420b-bd51-0ee2e2081338