Real-time hierarchical self-assembly of large compound vesicles from an amphiphilic hyperbranched multiarm copolymer

The preparation of real-time hierarchical self-assembly of large compound vesicles (LCVs) from a hyperbrached multiarm copolymer was investigated. The copolymer, HBPO-star-EPO, which has a hydrophobic hyperbranched poly(3-ethyl-3-oxetanemethanol) core and many hydrophilic poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) arm, was used to prepare LCVs. The solid hydration method was used in the self-assembly process, where polymer layer was evolved into three-dimensional vesicle stack (TDVS). The self-assembly processes were also extended from the surface to the interior of the polymer layer. Vesicle cohesion or dispersion depends on the competition between intervesicular attractive forces and repulsive forces. The hydrophilic fraction affects the self-assembly morphology of the hyperbranched copolymers. Results show that vesicles self-assembling from HBPO-star-PEO molecules with longer PEO arms can disperse randomly in water.