Two-dimensional (2D) quasi-living crystallization-driven self-assembly of polyethylene--hyperbranched polyglycidol diblock copolymers in solution.

This paper presents a systematic investigation of the crystalline nucleation, micellization, two-dimensional (2D) growth of polyethylene--hyperbranched polyglycidol (PE-PG) copolymers in solutions during cooling and isothermal crystallization. As a result, lozenge-shaped monolayer or multilayer lamellar crystals were prepared by optimizing the "self-nucleation" conditions. The effect of crystallization temperatures (), critical micelle temperature (CMT), selective solvents, and the topology of block copolymers (BCPs) on the growth of 2D lozenge-shaped crystals is extensively explored using TEM, AFM and DLS techniques. The results demonstrate that the formation of a perfect lozenge-shaped monolayer crystal is contingent upon the relationship between CMT and of the BCPs (CMT < ), as well as the isothermal crystallization temperature (CMT < < ). This significant finding provides a feasibility programme for the preparation of 2D lamellar crystals using the "self-nucleation" approach from an alternative viewpoint of the corona topology.