Creation of nanostructured materials via the controlled self-assembly of amphiphilic polymers

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H02787
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 35010:Polymer chemistry-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Terashima Takaya 京都大学, 工学研究科, 准教授 (70452274)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 両親媒性高分子 / ランダム共重合体 / 自己組織化 / ミセル / セルフソーティング / ミクロ相分離 / ハイドロゲル / ラメラ構造

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this work, we designed amphiphilic polymers/random copolymers bearing hydrophilic and hydrophobic side chains to systematically investigate the self-assembly of the polymers via the association of the side chains. We successfully developed controlled self-assembly systems for nanostructured and functional materials as follows: (1) precision self-assembly of the amphiphilic polymers into small micelles in water and on-demand control of the size, aggregation number, and structures of their aggregates, (2) reversible control of co-self-assembly and self-sorting of the binary copolymer mixtures in water, and (3) creation of thermoresponsive gels, self-healing and selectively adhesive hydrogels, and sub-10 nm lamellar structure materials.

Free Research Field

高分子化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、10 nm以下のナノ会合体やミクロ相分離材料、自己修復性と選択的な接着性を併せもつハイドロゲルなどの機能性材料の創出に加え、生体内の複雑環境でタンパク質が実現するような革新的な制御自己組織化システムの構築にも成功した。これら一連の自己組織化材料は、精密なナノ構造をもつ高分子材料としてのみならず、ナノパターニングや化合物のカプセル化・デリバリー材料などとして電子情報分野や医薬分野への応用も期待され、学術的な発展のみならず、社会への波及効果も期待される。