Issue 9, 2024

Liquid–liquid phase separation induced auto-confinement

Abstract

Confinement allows macromolecules and biomacromolecules to attain arrangements typically unachievable through conventional self-assembly processes. In the field of block copolymers, confinement has been achieved by preparing thin films and controlled solvent evaporation through the use of emulsions. A significant advantage of the confinement-driven self-assembly process is its ability to enable block copolymers to form particles with complex internal morphologies, which would otherwise be inaccessible. Here, we show that liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) can induce confinement during the self-assembly of a model block copolymer system. Since this confinement is driven by the block copolymers' tendency to undergo LLPS, we define this confinement type as auto-confinement. This study adds to the growing understanding of how LLPS influences block copolymer self-assembly and provides a new method to achieve confinement driven self-assembly.

Graphical abstract: Liquid–liquid phase separation induced auto-confinement

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
29 Nov 2023
Accepted
12 Feb 2024
First published
16 Feb 2024

Soft Matter, 2024,20, 1978-1982

Liquid–liquid phase separation induced auto-confinement

A. Rizvi and J. P. Patterson, Soft Matter, 2024, 20, 1978 DOI: 10.1039/D3SM01617J

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