POS1-1022
Molecularly defined helical rod-coil amphiphiles reveal the role of PEG topology in self-assemblye Block Copolymers
When and Where
Nov 30, -0001
12:00am - 12:00am
Presenter(s)
Seung Hyun Baek (Department of Chemistry, SNU)
Co-Author(s)
Abstract
Amphiphilic block copolymers containing rigid helical segments provide a useful platform for studying structure–property relationships in self-assembly; however, chain-length dispersity often complicates interpretation. Here, we report the synthesis of length-defined α-helical poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate) (PBLG) segments via iterative exponential growth (IEG), enabling a molecularly well-defined system to examine the influence of PEG topology. Using a discrete BLG32 segment, BLG-b-PEG block copolymers with varying PEG topologies were prepared. A longer BLG48 segment and an NCA-derived control were also examined to provide additional structural context. Structural characterization reveals that linear PEG architectures favor extended lamellae, whereas dendritic PEG topologies give rise to curved assemblies, including vesicles and one-dimensional structures. In contrast, the NCA-derived sample does not form extended lamellae under comparable conditions, instead yielding less ordered, one-dimensional assemblies, suggesting a potential role of chain-length dispersity in limiting long- range structural coherence. These results establish a molecularly defined platform for isolating the effects of hydrophilic block topology in rod–coil amphiphiles and provide insight into how topology and molecular uniformity influence supramolecular organization in rod-coil systems.
