Simultaneous Nano- and Microscale Control of Nanofibrous Microspheres Self-Assembled from Star-Shaped Polymers

Star-shaped polymers with varying arm numbers and arm lengths are synthesized, and self-assembled into microspheres, which are either smooth or fibrous on the nanoscale, and either nonhollow, hollow, or spongy on the microscale. The molecular architecture and functional groups determine the structure on both length scales. This exciting mechanistic discovery guides simultaneous control of both the nano- and microfeatures of the microspheres.