Block Copolymer Nanofibrillar Micelles

Abstract

Self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers in aqueous solution provides a versatile tool to create complex and functional micelles with various nanostructures, such as spherical, cylindrical and bilayer structures. As an important class in these structures, nanofibrillar micelles have attracted growing interest due to their unique properties that can potentially mimic biological analogues. For example, a great number of nanofibrillar structures, such as actin filaments and collagen gels with filamentous structures, were found in nature systems and have greatly motivated researchers to mimic these systems with synthetic materials. Besides, precise spatiotemporal control and integration of these nanofibrillar structures will offer a powerful strategy for construction of new soft devices in the future. Therefore, in this thesis, we explore the ultra-long, stiff and quenched micelles of diblock copolymers and develop a hybrid approach combining self-assembly of block copolymers and micro-fabrication methods to manipulate these micelles for building soft devices.