Number: 2005-043-2-400
Title: Terminology for self-assembly
and aggregation of polymers
Task Group
Chairmen: Christopher
K. Ober and Richard
G. Jones
Members: Taihyun
Chang, Michael Hess,
Philip Hodge, Jung-Il
Jin, Pavel Kratochvíl,
Graeme Moad, and Michel
Vert
Objective:
With nanoscience and nanotechnology underpinning and lending focus
to many of the developments in modern functional materials, aggregation
and self-assembly in polymers is of growing importance. This project
is aimed at proposing a list of terms and definitions to be accepted
and respected by chemists and others working as materials scientists
within academia and industry.
Description:
The physical and chemical properties of aggregated polymers and
polymer molecules that spontaneously assemble into ordered structures
are more often determined by these macroscopic structures than by
the individual polymer molecules from which they are built. Typically,
molecules that have assembled into micelles might act as hosts to
smaller molecules that are held in place by solvation effects at
the micellar core, whilst those that have assembled into vesicles
(walled, cell-like structures) can physically encapsulate guest
species. Neither of these situations can be attributed to the polymer
chain structures except insofar as they might determine the nature
of the aggregation or assembly. Self-assembly in liquid crystalline
polymers and block copolymers is equally complex and important.
An extended terminology is required to describe these macroscopic
systems, as already evidenced by the impossibility of writing these
introductory sentences without resorting to the use of two such
terms. Some terms will be of relatively recent introduction. Other,
older terms will be in common usage by physical chemists and some
by materials scientists, and perhaps more familiar to such specialists
than to polymer scientists. Many of the terms might also be totally
unfamiliar to scientists whose background is not rooted in chemistry
or material sciences. It is therefore necessary to identify terms
specific to aggregation and self-assembly of polymers, and to harmonize
and enforce their use by the people active in the field.
The document will consist of a list of terms selected to describe
the different aggregated structures and self-assemblies, their methods
of formation, their characterisation, and any terminology that is
idiosyncratic to the techniques used for their investigation. The
definitions will be harmonized for acceptance by the chemistry,
polymer and materials communities. To assist in achieving this assent,
members of the learned societies of different countries will be
consulted to ensure that the definitions are accepted worldwide.