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Polymers
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Block Copolymers Particles: From Synthesis to Application
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Block Copolymers Particles: From Synthesis to Application

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2021) | Viewed by 9320

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Kang Hee Ku

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
Interests: 3D nanostructured hybrid materials; block copolymer self-assembly; colloid interface engineering; smart soft materials; complex colloids

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polymer particles with controlled shape and internal structure are receiving increasing interests as promising materials for biological and pharmaceutical applications, photonics, and catalysis.

To date, numerous insights on the self-assembly of multiple components (i.e., block copolymers, nanoparticles, and biomolecules) within emulsions have led to the rapid growth of emulsion assisted fabrication strategies for the creation of soft matter-based colloidal particles with well-defined size, shape, and internal morphologies. In this approach, the soft and mobile interface of emulsion allows spontaneous deformation of the particle shape, affording a one-step generation of non-spherical solid particles. Shape deformation occurs in order to minimize the thermodynamic balance of the overall free energy of the system, therefore this strategy allows a rich variety of shape-anisotropic polymer particles with systematic and programmable controllability.

The aim of this Special Issue is to highlight the recent progress on shape and nanostructure control of polymer particles as well as various applications based on polymer particles. The submitted manuscripts will be fast-track reviewed. Research articles, review articles, perspectives, as well as communications and letters are also invited.

Dr. Kang Hee Ku
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Polymer particles
  • Emulsions
  • Particle shape
  • Nanostructured Particles
  • 3D confinement
  • Hybrid Nanomaterials
  • Block copolymer Self-Assembly
  • Nanoparticles
  • Surfactants
  • Colloids

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 3700 KiB  
Article
Effect of Site-Specific Functionalization on the Shape of Nonspherical Block Copolymer Particles
by Jaeman J. Shin
Polymers 2020, 12(12), 2804; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12122804 - 26 Nov 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2351
Abstract
Shape-anisotropic polymeric colloids having chemically distinct compartments are promising materials, however, introducing site-specific surface functionality to block copolymer (BCP) particles has not yet been actively investigated. The current contribution demonstrates the selective surface functionalization of nanostructured, ellipsoidal polystyrene-b-polybutadiene (PS-b-PB) particle and investigate their [...] Read more.
Shape-anisotropic polymeric colloids having chemically distinct compartments are promising materials, however, introducing site-specific surface functionality to block copolymer (BCP) particles has not yet been actively investigated. The current contribution demonstrates the selective surface functionalization of nanostructured, ellipsoidal polystyrene-b-polybutadiene (PS-b-PB) particle and investigate their effects on the particle shape. Photo-induced thiol-ene click reaction was used as a selective functionalization chemistry for modifying the PB block, which was achieved by controlling the feed ratio of functional thiols to the double bonds in PB. Importantly, the controlled particle elongation was observed as a function of the degree of PB functionalization. Such an increase in the aspect ratio is attributed to the (i) increased incompatibility of the PS and modified PB block and (ii) the reduced surface tension between the particles and surrounding aqueous medium, both of which contributes to the further elongation of ellipsoids. Further tunability of the elongation behavior of ellipsoids was further demonstrated by controlling the particle size and chemical structure of functional thiols, showing the versatility of this approach for controlling the particle shape. Finally, the utility of surface functionality was demonstrated by the facile complexation of fluorescent dye on the modified surface of the particle via favorable interaction, which showed stable fluorescence and colloidal dispersity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Block Copolymers Particles: From Synthesis to Application)
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13 pages, 2836 KiB  
Article
Phase Behavior of Gradient Copolymer Melts with Different Gradient Strengths Revealed by Mesoscale Simulations
by Pavel Beránek, Paola Posocco and Zbyšek Posel
Polymers 2020, 12(11), 2462; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12112462 - 23 Oct 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3123
Abstract
Design and preparation of functional nanomaterials with specific properties requires precise control over their microscopic structure. A prototypical example is the self-assembly of diblock copolymers, which generate highly ordered structures controlled by three parameters: the chemical incompatibility between blocks, block size ratio and [...] Read more.
Design and preparation of functional nanomaterials with specific properties requires precise control over their microscopic structure. A prototypical example is the self-assembly of diblock copolymers, which generate highly ordered structures controlled by three parameters: the chemical incompatibility between blocks, block size ratio and chain length. Recent advances in polymer synthesis have allowed for the preparation of gradient copolymers with controlled sequence chemistry, thus providing additional parameters to tailor their assembly. These are polydisperse monomer sequence, block size distribution and gradient strength. Here, we employ dissipative particle dynamics to describe the self-assembly of gradient copolymer melts with strong, intermediate, and weak gradient strength and compare their phase behavior to that of corresponding diblock copolymers. Gradient melts behave similarly when copolymers with a strong gradient are considered. Decreasing the gradient strength leads to the widening of the gyroid phase window, at the expense of cylindrical domains, and a remarkable extension of the lamellar phase. Finally, we show that weak gradient strength enhances chain packing in gyroid structures much more than in lamellar and cylindrical morphologies. Importantly, this work also provides a link between gradient copolymers morphology and parameters such as chemical incompatibility, chain length and monomer sequence as support for the rational design of these nanomaterials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Block Copolymers Particles: From Synthesis to Application)
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Review

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20 pages, 1931 KiB  
Review
ON/OFF Switchable Nanocomposite Membranes for Separations
by Taegyun Kwon and Jinyoung Chun
Polymers 2020, 12(10), 2415; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym12102415 - 20 Oct 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3053
Abstract
Although water, air, and other resources are abundant on earth, they have been subjected to strict environmental regulations. This is because of their limitation of availability for human consumption. In the separation industry, the membrane system was introduced to increase the amount of [...] Read more.
Although water, air, and other resources are abundant on earth, they have been subjected to strict environmental regulations. This is because of their limitation of availability for human consumption. In the separation industry, the membrane system was introduced to increase the amount of resources available to mankind. Experts used an easy-to-use polymeric material to design several membranes with porous structures for wastewater treatment, gas separation, and chemical removal; consequently, they succeeded in obtaining positive results. However, past polymeric membranes exhibited a chronic drawback such that it was difficult to simultaneously augment the permeate flux and improve its selectivity toward certain substances. Because of the trade-off relationship that existed between permeability and selectivity, the membrane efficiency was not very good; consequently, the cost-effectiveness was significantly hindered because there was no other alternative than to replace the membrane in order to maintain its initial characteristics steadily. This review begins with the introduction of a polymer nanocomposite (PNC) membrane that has been designed to solve the chronic problem of polymeric membranes; subsequently, the stimuli-responsive PNC membrane is elucidated, which has established itself as a popular topic among researchers in the separation industry for several decades. Furthermore, we have listed the different types and examples of stimuli-responsive PNC membranes, which can be switched by external stimuli, while discussing the future direction of the membrane separation industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Block Copolymers Particles: From Synthesis to Application)
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