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Updated: May 19, 2026

Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers
Published on: June 20, 2019
Non-centrosymmetric cylindrical micelles by unidirectional growth
Paul A Rupar1, Laurent Chabanne, Mitchell A Winnik
1School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.
Abstract:
Although solution self-assembly of block copolymers (BCPs) represents one of the most promising approaches to the creation of nanoparticles from soft matter, the formation of non-centrosymmetric nanostructures with shape anisotropy remains a major challenge. Through a combination of crystallization-driven self-assembly of crystalline-coil BCPs in solution and selective micelle corona cross-linking, we have created short (about 130 nanometers), monodisperse cylindrical seed micelles that grow unidirectionally. These nanostructures grow to form long, non-centrosymmetric cylindrical A-B and A-B-C block co-micelles upon the addition of further BCPs. We also illustrate the formation of amphiphilic cylindrical A-B-C block co-micelles, which spontaneously self-assemble into hierarchical star-shaped supermicelle architectures with a diameter of about 3 micrometers. The method described enables the rational creation of non-centrosymmetric, high aspect ratio, colloidally stable core-shell nanoparticles in a manner that until now has been restricted to the biological domain.
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