Responsive Surfactant-Driven Morphology Transformation of Block Copolymer Microparticles
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Updated: May 11, 2026

Facile Synthesis of Worm-like Micelles by Visible Light Mediated Dispersion Polymerization Using Photoredox Catalyst
Published on: June 8, 2016
Mengmeng Zhang1, Yinhan Xu1, Jintao Zhu1
1Key Laboratory of Materials Chemistry for Energy Conversion and Storage of Ministry of Education, State Key Laboratory of Materials Processing and Die & Mold Technology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Materials Chemistry and Service Failure, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China.
Abstract:
Block copolymer (BCP) microparticles, which exhibit rapid change of morphology and physicochemical property in response to external stimuli, represent a promising avenue for the development of programmable smart materials. Among the methods available for generating BCP microparticles with adjustable morphologies, the confined assembly of BCPs within emulsions has emerged as a particularly facile and versatile approach. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the role of responsive surfactants in modulating interfacial interactions at the oil-water interface, which facilitates controlled BCP microparticle morphology. We elucidate how variations in the properties of responsive surfactants, activated by external stimuli, influence BCP chain arrangement and interfacial selectivity. Additionally, this review explores the applications of shape-switchable microparticles in advanced technologies such as smart display, fluorescence modulation, magnetic resonance imaging, drug delivery, and photonic crystal. Finally, the challenges and prospective future directions in this rapidly evolving field are discussed.
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