We performed a dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) approach to study the self-assembly of AB diblock copolymer tethered nanoparticles (P) in dilute solutions. Different morphological aggregates, including spherical micelles, vesicles, disk-like micelles and rod-like micelles, were found by varying the interaction between block copolymers and nanoparticles. Most importantly, the nanoparticles ca...

The profile and conformation of proteins that are adsorbed onto a polymeric biomaterial surface have a profound effect on its in vivo performance. Cells and tissue recognize the protein layer rather than directly interact with the surface. The chemistry and morphology of a polymer surface will govern the protein behaviour. So, by controlling the polymer surface, the biocompatibility can be regu...

Block copolymers are macromolecular surfactants that self-assemble into a variety of nanostructural elements or reduce the interfacial tension between incompatible polymers. Here, we examine the ability of diblock copolymers differing in composition to stabilize bilayered homopolymer nanolaminates on flat solid supports. In this arrangement, self-assembly competes with interfacial modification ...

The adhesive interactions of block copolymers composed of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(methyl methacrylate)/poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) with the proteins fibronectin, bovine serum albumin and collagen were studied by atomic force microscopy. Adhesion experiments were performed both at physiological pH and at a slightly more acidic condition (p...

We report an investigation of the influence of block copolymer architectures on formation of nanophases in epoxy thermosets via reactioninduced microphase separation approach. Toward this end, three binary block copolymers composed of polystyrene (PS) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) were synthesized via the combination of ring-opening polymerization (ROP) and atomic transfer radical polymerizati...

We discovered that poly(vinylphenol) (PVPh) possesses an extremely low surface energy (15.7 mJ/m2) after a simple thermal treatment procedure, even lower than that of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (22.0 mJ/m2) calculated on the basis of the two-liquid geometric method. Infrared analyses indicate that the intermolecular hydrogen bonding of PVPh decreases by converting the hydroxyl group into a free ...

We present an approach to fabricate capsules consisting of a composite layer of particles and block copolymers . The capsules are fabricated by directed assembly of block copolymers at the interfaces of a double emulsion template and electrostatic adsorption of particles onto the copolymers. The double emulsion drops are prepared using capillary-based microfluidics. The solvent phase of the dou...

Using either nitroxide mediated polymerization (NMP) or reversible addition fragmentation transfer (RAFT) techniques, novel block copolymers that present terminal acetylenes, in the side chain of the styrenic block, were obtained with narrow polydispersities and targeted molecular weights. For the conversion of these acetylene-functionalized polymers to amphiphilic block copolymers, RAFT techni...