Core Block Composition

The block composition, i.e., the relative size of the corona to the core, dictates to... 

Block copolymers in selective solvents exhibit a remarkable capacity to self-assemble into a great variety of micellar structures. The final morphology depends on the molecular architecture, tlie block composition, and the affinity of the solvent for the different blocks. The solvophobic blocks constitute the core of the micelles, while the soluble blocks form a soft and deformable corona (Fig. Id). Because of this architecture, micelles are partially Impenetrable, just like colloids, but at the same time inherently soft and deformable like polymers. Most of their properties result from this subtle interplay between colloid-like and polymer-like features. In applications, micelles are used to solubilize in solvents otherwise insoluble compounds, to compatibilize polymer blends, to stabilize colloidal particles, and to control tire rheology of complex fluids in various formulations. A rich literature describes the phase behavior, the structure, the dynamics, and the applications of block-copolymer micelles both in aqueous and organic solvents [65-67],... 

Scotts technology (17) uses fluid-bed (Wurster column) technology to apply polymeric coatings to a number of fertilizer substrates including urea, potassium nitrate, potassium sulfate, and monoammonium phosphate (MAP). The coating material is appHed as a water-borne latex onto the fluidized substrate. As the substrate is fluidized with warm air (40—50°C), water is driven off and the latex coalesces into a continuous film around the fertilizer particle. The particular latex compositions used have selected glass-transition and blocking temperatures, which enable quick removal of the water before the soluble fertilizer core dissolves. This obviates the need to use precoats prior to the latex appHcation. 

There are a variety of routes currently utilized to fabricate a wide range of hollow capsules of various compositions. Among the more traditional methods are nozzle reactor processes, emnlsion/phase-separation procednres (often combined with sol-gel processing), and sacrificial core techniques [78], Self-assembly is an elegant and attractive approach for the preparation of hollow capsules. Vesicles [79,80], dendrimers [81,82], and block hollow copolymer spheres [83,84] are all examples of self-assembled hollow containers that are promising for the encapsnlation of various materials. 

The fundamental physical properties of nanowire materials can be improved even more to surpass their bulk counterpart using precisely engineered NW heterostructures. It has been recently demonstrated that Si/Ge/Si core/shell nanowires exhibit electron mobility surpassing that of state-of-the-art technology.46 Group III-V nitride core/shell NWs of multiple layers of epitaxial structures with atomically sharp interfaces have also been demonstrated with well-controlled and tunable optical and electronic properties.47,48 Together, the studies demonstrate that semiconductor nanowires represent one of the best-defined nanoscale building block classes, with well-controlled chemical composition, physical size, and superior electronic/optical properties, and therefore, that they are ideally suited for assembly of more complex functional systems. 

This technique does not, however, overcome the formation of frozen micelles due to the formation of glassy cores at a specific nonselective solvent/selective solvent composition. Polydisperse micelles can also be generated during this preparation process if the starting material is characterized by a composition or MW polydispersity. In this respect, micelles will be first formed by the chains containing the larger insoluble block during the addition of the selective solvent. 

It is important to define clearly the characteristic features of block copolymer micelles. We mentioned above that the insoluble blocks formed a micellar core surrounded by a corona. Depending on the composition of the starting block copolymer, two limiting structures can be drawn (1) starlike micelles with a small core compared to the corona and (2) crew-cut micelles with a large core and highly stretched coronal chains. Both situations are schematically depicted in Fig. 2. 

Figure 6.3 The chemical compositions for macromolecular objects that result from crosslinking within nanodomains of bulk phase separated block copolymers include (a) core-crosslinked spheres (b) core-crosslinked rods (c) mushroom -shaped objects.

Figure 6.5 Illustrations of nanoscale spherical assemblies resulting from block copolymer phase separation in solution are shown, along with the chemical compositions that have been employed to generate each of the nanostructures (a) core crosslinked polymer micelles (b) shell crosslinked polymer micelles (SCKs) with glassy cores (c) SCKs with fluid cores (d) SCKs with crystalline cores (e) nanocages, produced from removal of the core of SCKs (f) SCKs with the crosslinked shell shielded from solution by an additional layer of surface-attached linear polymer chains (g) crosslinked vesicles (h) shaved hollow nanospheres produced from cleavage of the internally and externally attached linear polymer chains from the structure of (g)...

The continued interest in dendritic materials as well as the related hyperbranched polymers has sparked the imagination of researchers in many different areas. The incredible increase in annual publications in this topic is best shown in the Figure and thus as the number on new building blocks and core molecules proliferate, the structural composition of precise and controlled design will grow to meet the imagination of molecular architects. This review series was initially conceived to cover the synthesis and supramolecular chemistry of dendritic or cascade supermolecules as well as their less perfect hyperbranched cousins. 

Figure 13.3.7 shows scanning electron microscopy (SEM) photographs of the surface of the polyethylene particle after the silica particles were peeled off. The specimen was prepared in the following way. After the composite particles were potted in epoxy resin, the dried resin block was cut using a microtome to produce fine sections. The fracture surface appearance of the polyethylene was then observed under a microscope. The mean depth penetration into the surface of the core particles could be measured using the SEM photographs. Silica 0.3 pan in diameter was embedded in the surface of the polyethylene particles at a depth of 0.03 xm. In... 

In conclusion, the synthesis of novel stars comprising eight PSt-b-PIB and Pp-ClSt-b-PIB arms radiating from a calix[8]arene core has been accomplished. Overall compositions and relative molecular weights of the glassy segments can be controlled by suitable choice of blocking conditions such as solvent polarity. 

As a result of the dependence of universal calibration on column elution behavior (i.e., anomalous behavior due to adsorption or exclusion), the contribution of the polymer core and shell components (33,34) to hydrodynamic behavior must be fully understood if competent analysis of block copolymers and branched heteropolymers is to be made. It is hoped that with the advent of appropriate MW, composition, and branched polymer standards, the limits of fit of universal calibration to biopolymers such as lignin can be judged. 

Many asteroids are dry, as evidenced by meteorites in which water is virtually absent. These samples include many classes of chondrites, as well as melted chunks of the crusts, mantles, and cores of differentiated objects. Anhydrous bodies were important building blocks of the rocky terrestrial planets, and their chemical compositions reveal details of processes that occurred within our own planet on a larger scale. The distributions of these asteroids within the solar system also provide insights into their formation and evolution. 

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