Kinetic Studies of 1. Two-Dimensional Self-Assembly of Conjugated Polymers 2. Micelle fragmentation of Block Copolymers

초록

Polymeric nanoparticles hold great potential due to their exceptional versatility and customizable characteristics, making them valuable in specialized fields such as biomedical imaging, sensors, and optoelectronics. Their size and shape are critical factors influencing their properties, which are intricately governed by molecular-level parameters. For instance, the chemical structure of polymer blocks, rooted in organic synthesis, is crucial in determining the nanoparticles they form at equilibrium. While the equilibrium of self-assembled polymers has been relatively well understood, the dynamic processes by which such structures evolve have been less thoroughly investigated. This presentation will show systematic approaches to dynamic studies on polymer self-assembly with two specific systems: 2D nanoparticle formation and 0D micelle fragmentation. First, new 2D semiconducting nanoparticles from homopolymers were generated with precisely controlled dimensions?width, length, and height. We examined the effects of polymer molecular weight, co-solvent percentage, concentration, and aging temperature on 2D self-assembly. We also studied how block length affects the micelle fragmentation rate by unveiling the separate effect of core and corona block length, aiming to gain a deeper understanding of polymer self-assembly dynamics.