Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic Nanoparticle-Coil “Tadpole” Macromolecules

Abstract

There has been considerable fascination with the self-assembling behavior of amphiphilic chainlike molecules that range from short-chain surfactants to high molecular weight block copolymers. The self-assembly of simple amphiphiles into membranes may have played an important role in the origin of life. The self-organization of amphiphiles with more complex architectures can lead to a stunning variety of complex morphologies. In the case of short-chain surfactants, the equilibrium morphology of the self-assembled sys- tem depends on geometric factors, such as the ratio of the “head” to “tail” sizes. Here, the headgroups are small molecules and the tails are coillike. In the case of block copolymers, the structure of the melt depends on the relative composition of the chains, the degree of polymerization, and the incompatibility between the different blocks.