Terashima Takaya
Department of Polymer Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University.
J Oleo Sci. 2020 Jun 9;69(6):529-538. doi: 10.5650/jos.ess20089. Epub 2020 May 14.
In this review, we report controlled self-assembly systems of amphiphilic random copolymers in aqueous or organic media and the solid state to produce folded micelles, related nanoaggregates, vesicles, and microphase separation materials. The key features of random copolymer self-assemblies are 1) self-folding of polymer chains, 2) precision self-assembly of side chains, and 3) dynamic self-sorting and selective recognition. Typically, random copolymers bearing hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) and hydrophobic alkyl groups folded into small unimer micelles (~10 nm) via the association of the hydrophobic groups in water. Importantly, those random copolymers afforded precision intermolecular self-assembly into multichain micelles; the size, aggregation number, and thermoresponsive properties can be controlled as desired by tuning their molecular weight, composition, and side chains. The binary mixture of different random copolymers further self-sorted via chain exchange in water to simultaneously form discrete micelles. Namely, amphiphilic random copolymers can dynamically recognize themselves in complex media like natural biomolecules and proteins. Amphiphilic random copolymers opened new ways to create self-assembled materials with well-defined nanostructures and compartments, dynamic recognition properties, and functions.
在本综述中，我们报道了两亲性无规共聚物在水性或有机介质以及固态中的可控自组装体系，以制备折叠胶束、相关纳米聚集体、囊泡和微相分离材料。无规共聚物自组装的关键特征包括：1）聚合物链的自折叠；2）侧链的精确自组装；3）动态自分类和选择性识别。通常，带有亲水性聚乙二醇和疏水性烷基的无规共聚物通过水中疏水性基团的缔合折叠成小的单分子胶束（约10纳米）。重要的是，这些无规共聚物能够实现精确的分子间自组装形成多链胶束；其尺寸、聚集数和热响应性质可通过调节分子量、组成和侧链来按需控制。不同无规共聚物的二元混合物在水中通过链交换进一步自分类，同时形成离散的胶束。也就是说，两亲性无规共聚物能够像天然生物分子和蛋白质一样在复杂介质中动态地识别自身。两亲性无规共聚物为制备具有明确纳米结构和隔室、动态识别性质及功能的自组装材料开辟了新途径。
