Polymerization-Induced
Self-Assembly of Block Copolymer
Nano-objects via RAFT Aqueous Dispersion Polymerization

There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.

Abstract

In this Perspective, we discuss the recent development of polymerization-induced self-assembly mediated by reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) aqueous dispersion polymerization. This approach has quickly become a powerful and versatile technique for the synthesis of a wide range of bespoke organic diblock copolymer nano-objects of controllable size, morphology, and surface functionality. Given its potential scalability, such environmentally-friendly formulations are expected to offer many potential applications, such as novel Pickering emulsifiers, efficient microencapsulation vehicles, and sterilizable thermo-responsive hydrogels for the cost-effective long-term storage of mammalian cells.

Related collections

Most cited references 78

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: found

Is Open Access

Rapid planetesimal formation in turbulent circumstellar discs

Anders Johansen, Jeffrey S. Oishi, Mordecai-Mark Mac Low … (2007)

The initial stages of planet formation in circumstellar gas discs proceed via dust grains that collide and build up larger and larger bodies (Safronov 1969). How this process continues from metre-sized boulders to kilometre-scale planetesimals is a major unsolved problem (Dominik et al. 2007): boulders stick together poorly (Benz 2000), and spiral into the protostar in a few hundred orbits due to a head wind from the slower rotating gas (Weidenschilling 1977). Gravitational collapse of the solid component has been suggested to overcome this barrier (Safronov 1969, Goldreich & Ward 1973, Youdin & Shu 2002). Even low levels of turbulence, however, inhibit sedimentation of solids to a sufficiently dense midplane layer (Weidenschilling & Cuzzi 1993, Dominik et al. 2007), but turbulence must be present to explain observed gas accretion in protostellar discs (Hartmann 1998). Here we report the discovery of efficient gravitational collapse of boulders in locally overdense regions in the midplane. The boulders concentrate initially in transient high pressures in the turbulent gas (Johansen, Klahr, & Henning 2006), and these concentrations are augmented a further order of magnitude by a streaming instability (Youdin & Goodman 2005, Johansen, Henning, & Klahr 2006, Johansen & Youdin 2007) driven by the relative flow of gas and solids. We find that gravitationally bound clusters form with masses comparable to dwarf planets and containing a distribution of boulder sizes. Gravitational collapse happens much faster than radial drift, offering a possible path to planetesimal formation in accreting circumstellar discs.

0 comments Cited 2503 times – based on 0 reviews

Preprint

     Review now

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: found

Is Open Access

The Dicke Quantum Phase Transition with a Superfluid Gas in an Optical Cavity

Ferdinand Brennecke, Tilman Esslinger, Christine Guerlin … (2009)

A phase transition describes the sudden change of state in a physical system, such as the transition between a fluid and a solid. Quantum gases provide the opportunity to establish a direct link between experiment and generic models which capture the underlying physics. A fundamental concept to describe the collective matter-light interaction is the Dicke model which has been predicted to show an intriguing quantum phase transition. Here we realize the Dicke quantum phase transition in an open system formed by a Bose-Einstein condensate coupled to an optical cavity, and observe the emergence of a self-organized supersolid phase. The phase transition is driven by infinitely long-ranged interactions between the condensed atoms. These are induced by two-photon processes involving the cavity mode and a pump field. We show that the phase transition is described by the Dicke Hamiltonian, including counter-rotating coupling terms, and that the supersolid phase is associated with a spontaneously broken spatial symmetry. The boundary of the phase transition is mapped out in quantitative agreement with the Dicke model. The work opens the field of quantum gases with long-ranged interactions, and provides access to novel quantum phases.

0 comments Cited 1675 times – based on 0 reviews

Preprint

     Review now

Record: found
Abstract: found
Article: not found

Capturing complex 3D tissue physiology in vitro.

Linda G. Griffith, Melody Swartz (2006)

The emergence of tissue engineering raises new possibilities for the study of complex physiological and pathophysiological processes in vitro. Many tools are now available to create 3D tissue models in vitro, but the blueprints for what to make have been slower to arrive. We discuss here some of the 'design principles' for recreating the interwoven set of biochemical and mechanical cues in the cellular microenvironment, and the methods for implementing them. We emphasize applications that involve epithelial tissues for which 3D models could explain mechanisms of disease or aid in drug development.

0 comments Cited 552 times – based on 0 reviews      Review now

All references

Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): J Am Chem Soc

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): J. Am. Chem. Soc

Journal ID (publisher-id): ja

Journal ID (coden): jacsat

Title: Journal of the American Chemical Society

Publisher: American Chemical Society

ISSN (Print): 0002-7863

ISSN (Electronic): 1520-5126

Publication date (Electronic): 26 June 2014

Publication date (Print): 23 July 2014

Volume: 136

Issue: 29

Pages: 10174-10185

Affiliations

[1]Department of Chemistry, University of Sheffield , Brook Hill, Sheffield, Yorkshire S3 7HF, U.K.

Author notes

s.p.armes@ 123456sheffield.ac.uk

Article

DOI: 10.1021/ja502843f

PMC ID: 4111214

PubMed ID: 24968281

SO-VID: 257d3ca6-a875-41ec-803a-edcfa39d88c1

License:

History

Date received : 20 March 2014

Custom metadata

document-id-old-9 ja502843f

document-id-new-14 ja-2014-02843f

ccc-price

ScienceOpen disciplines: Chemistry

Data availability:

ScienceOpen disciplines: Chemistry

Comments

Comment on this article

Cited by 275

See all cited by

Most referenced authors 4,125

See all reference authors

Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly of Block Copolymer Nano-objects via RAFT Aqueous Dispersion Polymerization

Read this article at