Premium
Transformable Colloidal Polymer Particles with Ordered Internal Structures
Author(s) -
Deng Renhua,
Zheng Lingfei,
Mao Xi,
Li Baohui,
Zhu Jintao
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
small
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.785
H-Index - 236
eISSN - 1613-6829
pISSN - 1613-6810
DOI - 10.1002/smll.202006132
Subject(s) - materials science , solvent , polymer , copolymer , polystyrene , chemical engineering , annealing (glass) , colloid , nanotechnology , selectivity , emulsion , chemical physics , chemistry , composite material , organic chemistry , catalysis , engineering
Based on studies combining experiments and simulations, internally ordered colloidal particles that are able to undergo morphological transformations both in shape and internal structure are presented. The particles are prepared by emulsion solvent evaporation‐induced 3D soft confined assembly of di‐block copolymer polystyrene‐ block ‐poly(4‐vinylpyridine) (PS‐ b ‐P4VP). Control over the solvent selectivity leads to a dramatic change in shape and internal structure for particles. Pupa‐like particles of lamellar morphology are obtained when using a non‐selective solvent, while patchy particles possessing a plum pudding structure formed when the solvent is selective for PS‐block. More interestingly, 3D soft confined annealing drives order‐order morphological transformation of the particles. The morphology of reshaped particles can be well controlled by varying the solvent selectivity, annealing time, and interfacial interaction. The experimental results can be explained based on simulations. This study can offer considerable scope for the design of new stimuli‐responsive colloidal particles for potential applications in photonic crystal, drug delivery and release, sensor and smart coating, etc.