Self-Assembly of Polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine) Micelles: From Solutions to Silica Particles Surfaces

The structural understanding of self-assembled nanomaterial in solutions and immobilized on material surfaces has the potential to unlock some of the key questions in self-assembly processes such as the influence of surface forces on the nanostructure of polymer micelles. Here, we demonstrate the design and characterization of charged polymer micelles and their interaction with oppositely charged silica particle surfaces. Small-angle X-ray scattering, dynamic light scattering, and electron microscopy analysis revealed information on the size, shape, and morphology of the micelles in solution and bound to the surface. Electron density distributions calculated from the scattering data established that the surface-bound micelles strongly interact with the silica surface. The surface-induced dispersion and coulomb forces and the modified conformational entropy of polymer chains led to morphological changes in the polymer aggregates. This has important implications for the design of nanostructured surfaces in biomedical or industrial applications for instance as controlled release or bioresponsive materials.