Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 15, 2026

Controlling the Size, Shape and Stability of Supramolecular Polymers in Water
Published on: August 2, 2012
Living unimodal growth of polyion complex vesicles via two-dimensional supramolecular polymerization
Yasutaka Anraku1, Akihiro Kishimura, Yuichi Yamasaki
1Department of Materials Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Center for Disease Biology and Integrative Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
Abstract:
Understanding the dynamic behavior of molecular self-assemblies with higher-dimensional structures remains a key challenge to obtaining well-controlled and monodispersed structures. Nonetheless, there exist few systems capable of realizing the mechanism of supramolecular polymerization at higher dimensions. Herein, we report the unique self-assembling behavior of polyion complexes (PICs) consisting of poly(ethylene glycol)-polyelectrolyte block copolymer as an example of two-dimensional supramolecular living polymerization. Monodispersed and submicrometer unilamellar PIC vesicles (nano-PICsomes) displayed time-dependent growth while maintaining a narrow size distribution and a unilamellar structure. Detailed analysis of the system revealed that vesicle growth proceeded through the consumption of unit PICs (uPICs) composed of a single polycation/polyanion pair and was able to restart upon the further addition of isolated uPICs. Interestingly, the resulting vesicles underwent dissociation into uPICs in response to mechanical stress. These results clearly frame the growth as a two-dimensional supramolecular living polymerization of uPICs.
Related Concept Videos
Cationic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Mechanism
Anionic Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview
Step-Growth Polymerization: Overview
Many natural and synthetic polymers are produced by...
Molecular Weight of Step-Growth Polymers
As the step-growth polymerization involves step-wise condensation of monomers, the molecular weight also builds up eventually. Consequently, high molecular weight polymers are obtained at the late stages of the polymerization, where 99% of monomers have been consumed.
The extent of the...
Ziegler–Natta Chain-Growth Polymerization: Overview

