Swollen Vesicles and Multiple Emulsions from Block Copolymers

Author :Ani T. Nikova, Vernita D. Gordon, Galder Cristobal, Maria Ruela Talingting, David C. Bell, Cara Evans, Mathieu Joanicot, Joseph A. Zasadzinski, and David A. Weitz
Publication :Macromolecules
Publisher :American Chemical Society
Volume :37
Pages :2215-2218
Year :2004

We engineer novel structures by ‘stuffing’? the aliphatic regions of self-assembled aggregates
with hydrophobic homopolymer. These ‘stuffed’? vesicles and multiple emulsions are formed in a onestep process when we rehydrate stuffed films made of amphiphilic block copolymer and hydrophobic homopolymer. Without such homopolymer, this system forms micelles. With homopolymer, vesicles form; varying vesicle membrane thicknesses show that these structures incorporate different amounts of homopolymer. Multiple emulsions, containing more homopolymer than stuffed vesicles, are also fabricated using this single-amphiphile system. The system’s incorporation of homopolymer to modify the properties and morphology of the resultant structures is a convenient strategy for preparing self-assembled macromolecular structures with controllable properties.