Abstract
This review is an attempt to update the recent advances in the self-assembly of amphiphilic block and graft copolymers. Their micellization behavior is highlighted for linear AB, ABC triblock terpolymers, and graft structures in non-aqueous selective polar and non-polar solvents, including solvent mixtures and ionic liquids. The micellar characteristics, such as particle size, aggregation number, and morphology, are examined as a function of the copolymers’ architecture and molecular characteristics.
Highlights
The self-assembly and micellization of block and graft copolymers with the formation of structured nanoparticles have attracted a major interest over the last decades
In view of this background, the present literature survey from the last decade, including the authors’ contributions, is structured as follows: (i) a brief section is provided in order to review the experimental techniques; (ii) the self-assembly of linear AB and ABA block copolymers in polar and non-polar solvents, as well as in specific solvent mixtures and in ionic liquids (ILs), are outlined; (iii) a major section is devoted to ABC linear triblock terpolymers and their specific multi-compartment micellar morphologies; and, (iiii) the micellization aspects of graft copolymers and their possibility of forming unimolecular micelles will be described in the last section
Cryo-transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and tomography has been applied by different authors [31,32,33] for the direct visualization of micellar nano-structures. In addition to these well-described size and morphology characterization techniques, other elaborate methods are available for the study of block copolymers self-assembly in organic media, 2018, such10, as62super-resolution fluorescence microscopy technique, which is especially used for Polymers 2018, 10, of 26 visualization of62cylindrical micelles obtained from crystallizable copolymers by the crystallizable-driven self-assembly” (CDSA) method4 [34]
Summary
The self-assembly and micellization of block and graft copolymers with the formation of structured nanoparticles have attracted a major interest over the last decades. The aim of the present review article is to update and highlight the recent advances related to the self-assembly of block and graft copolymers in non-aqueous media This topic is one of interest from a theoretical point of view, and due to its widespread application possibilities in membrane technology, surface modification of pigments and fillers, non-aqueous dispersion, lubricant additives, etc. It is quite obvious that the self-assembly of hydrophobic/hydrophobic copolymers, which correspond to a large part of those synthesized up to now, may be achieved only in organic media In view of this background, the present literature survey from the last decade, including the authors’ contributions, is structured as follows: (i) a brief section is provided in order to review the experimental techniques; (ii) the self-assembly of linear AB and ABA block copolymers in polar and non-polar solvents, as well as in specific solvent mixtures and in ionic liquids (ILs), are outlined; (iii) a major section is devoted to ABC linear triblock terpolymers and their specific multi-compartment micellar morphologies; and, (iiii) the micellization aspects of graft copolymers and their possibility of forming unimolecular micelles will be described in the last section. Out of scope of this review are the following topics: bottle-brush micelles; rod-coil copolymers; interpolymer complexes of block and graft copolymers; and, micellization in super critical carbon dioxide (CO2 )
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