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Nano-sized Polymer Structures via Self-assembly and Co-assembly Approaches

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Nano-size Polymers

Abstract

The amphiphilic copolymers in selective solvents self-associate into a variety of nano-sized structures due to differences in the physicochemical characteristics of the constituent moieties. The properties of the nanoassemblies can be influenced and modified by co-assembly thus forming hybrid nanostructures with tunable morphology and significantly altered aggregate characteristics. The polymerization-induced self-assembly is described as a facile, efficient, and reproducible strategy for preparation of families of polymeric nanoparticles having various morphologies via a one-pot process. In this chapter, the fundamental principles behind those approaches are briefly outlined. Various nanostructures, prepared from stimuli-responsive copolymers, nanoparticles of non-common morphologies, hybrid nanostructures, nanostructures, prepared via electrostatic interactions, hierarchical self-assembly, nanostructures formed on a surface are described by giving examples from the recent literature. The nanoassemblies exhibit tremendous potential for delivery of, e.g., antitumor agents, genetic material, proteins, and other biologically active substances.

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Acknowledgments

The authors express gratitude to the EC project POLINNOVA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vass. Constantinou Ave., 116 35, Athens, Greece

    Grigoris Mountrichas & Stergios Pispas

  2. Institute of Polymers, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Akad. G. Bonchev St. 103-A, 1113, Sofia, Bulgaria

    Petar Petrov & Stanislav Rangelov

Authors
  1. Grigoris Mountrichas
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  2. Petar Petrov
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  3. Stergios Pispas
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  4. Stanislav Rangelov
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stanislav Rangelov .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Centre for Advanced Composite Materials, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Stoyko Fakirov

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Mountrichas, G., Petrov, P., Pispas, S., Rangelov, S. (2016). Nano-sized Polymer Structures via Self-assembly and Co-assembly Approaches. In: Fakirov, S. (eds) Nano-size Polymers. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39715-3_2

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