Cascade Molecule–Particle–Molecule Self-Assemblies for Fabricating Narrowly Size-Distributed Polymeric Superparticles with a Bicontinuous Nanostructure

Abstract

Broader developments of nanoscience and nanotechnology require complexly but regularly structured nanoparticles whose fabrications in turn pose a great challenge to nanoscience and nanotechnology. In this communication, we report a new and robust method with a clear mechanism for fabricating narrowly size-distributed superparticles with a bicontinuous inner structure. The processes for the fabrication include: molecular self-assembly of a triblock copolymer in its selective solvent into the core–shell–corona micelles, the self-limited aggregation of the micelles (particles) into narrowly size-distributed superparticles constructed by the integrated micelles, and the final molecular self-assembly confined within the superparticles into cylinders that are crowded and interconnected to form the bicontinuous nanostructure; the molecular self-assembly into the micelles, the self-limited aggregation of the particles (i.e., the micelles), and the further molecular self-assembly within the superparticles occurred in a cascade manner