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Updated: Oct 21, 2025
Synthesis of Monodisperse Cylindrical Nanoparticles via Crystallization-driven Self-assembly of Biodegradable Block Copolymers
Published on: June 20, 2019
Spiral- and meridian-patterned spheres self-assembled from block copolymer/homopolymer binary systems
Wenheng Xu1, Zhanwen Xu, Chunhua Cai
1Shanghai Key Laboratory of Advanced Polymeric Materials, Key Laboratory for Ultrafine Materials of Ministry of Education, Frontiers Science Center for Materiobiology and Dynamic Chemistry, School of Materials Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China. caichunhua@ecust.edu.cn jlin@ecust.edu.cn.
Researchers created well-defined 3D spiral nanostructures using polypeptide block copolymers and homopolymers. They discovered methods to control these structures, transitioning between spiral and meridian spheres by adjusting temperature or chirality.
Area of Science:
- Polymer Science
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Two-dimensional (2D) spiral nanostructures are common in polymer self-assembly.
- Well-defined three-dimensional (3D) spiral nanostructures are rarely reported, limiting their applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a method for creating well-defined 3D spiral nanostructures.
- To investigate the factors influencing the transition between spiral and meridian nanostructures.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing a binary system of polypeptide-based block copolymers and homopolymers for self-assembly.
- Controlling nanostructure morphology by adjusting preparation temperature.
- Investigating the effect of backbone chirality in polypeptide block copolymers.
Main Results:
- Successfully synthesized well-defined spiral spheres (3D spirals) with homopolymer cores and copolymer shells.
- Achieved a transition to meridian spheres by increasing preparation temperature.
- Observed a spiral-to-meridian transition when mixing polypeptide block copolymers with opposite backbone chirality.
- Identified tighter packing of pendant phenyl groups in meridian patterns as the cause of the transition.
Conclusions:
- This research expands the understanding of spiral nanostructure formation.
- Provides a straightforward method to switch between chiral and achiral nanostructures by controlling pendant group packing.
