Tubular nanostructures from degradable core-shell cylinder microstructures in chiral diblock copolymers

Abstract

A core-shell cylinder phase is obtained from the self assembly of chiral diblock copolymers, polystyrene-b-poly(L-lactide) (PS-PLLA) with PLLA-rich fractions. After the self-assembly of the polymer chains, scrolling of the helical microdomains results in core-shell cylinder microstructures (see figure). The microstructures are then hydrolyzed to give polymeric nanotubes with potential applications in drug delivery and as nanoreactors.