Synthesis of poly(stearyl methacrylate-b-3-phenylpropyl methacrylate) nanoparticles in n-octane and associated thermoreversible polymorphism

Poly(stearyl methacrylate) with average degrees of polymerization ranging from 18–30 were prepared by RAFT radical polymerization and then employed as macro-chain transfer agents in RAFT dispersion formulations with 3-phenylpropyl methacrylate as the comonomer.

Macro-RAFT agent mediated dispersion copolymerization: a small amount of solvophilic co-monomer leads to a great change

The macro-RAFT agent mediated dispersion copolymerization of two monomers is performed, and the block copolymer morphology can be easily tuned.

UV light-initiated RAFT polymerization induced self-assembly

Reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization induced self-assembly (PISA) initiated by UV light is exploited as a new strategy to prepare polymeric nanomicelles at room temperature.

Synthesis of multicompartment nanoparticles of a triblock terpolymer by seeded RAFT polymerization

Seeded RAFT polymerization based on AB diblock copolymer nanoparticles is performed, and multicompartment nanoparticles of ABC triblock terpolymer are prepared.

Modification of block copolymer vesicles: what will happen when AB diblock copolymer is block-extended to an ABC triblock terpolymer?

The PEG-b-PS diblock copolymer vesicles were converted into the membrane-compartmentalized vesicles of the PEG-b-PS-b-P4VP triblock terpolymer through seeded RAFT polymerization.

Synthesis of Multicompartment Nanoparticles of Block Copolymer through Two Macro-RAFT Agents Co-Mediated Dispersion Polymerization

A new and efficient strategy to synthesize multicompartment block copolymer nanoparticles (MCBNs) by two macro-RAFT agents comediated dispersion polymerization is proposed. By simultaneously employing two macro-RAFT agents in dispersion RAFT polymerization, one-pot synthesis of well-defined MCBNs constructed with two diblock copolymers of poly(tert-butyl methyl acrylate)-block-polystyrene (PtBMA-b-PS) and poly[N-(4-vinylbenzyl)-N,N-diethylamine]-block-polystyrene (PVEA-b-PS) is achieved. These MCBNs contain a PS core and discrete PVEA and/or PtBMA nodules on the PS core. By changing the ratio of the two macro-RAFT agents or the polymerization degree of the solvophobic block in the two diblock copolymer mixture, the structure of MCBNs can be tuned. Our strategy overcomes the inconvenience and difficulty in synthesis of MCBNs, and it introduces a valid way to prepare well-defined MCBNs constructed with two or more diblock copolymers.

RAFT dispersion polymerization of 3-phenylpropyl methacrylate with poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] macro-CTAs in ethanol and associated thermoreversible polymorphism

The direct synthesis of methacrylic-based soft polymeric nanoparticles via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer dispersion polymerization (RAFTDP) is described. The use of poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]s, of varying average degree of polymerization (X¯n), as the stabilizing blocks for the RAFTDP of 3-phenylpropyl methacrylate (PPMA) in ethanol at 70 °C, at various total solids contents, yielded the full spectrum of self-assembled nanoparticles (spherical and worm aggregates and polymersomes). We also demonstrate that nanoparticle morphology can be tuned simply by controlling temperature. This is especially evident in the case of worm aggregates undergoing a thermoreversible transition to spherical species - a process that is accompanied by a macroscopic degelation-gelation process.

A new strategy to prepare thermo-responsive multicompartment nanoparticles constructed with two diblock copolymers

Thermo-responsive multicompartment nanoparticles containing a PS core, discrete PVEA nodules on the PS core and a PDMAEMA corona are prepared.