MESD Poster Award Introductions & Braskem Award Introduction

In this talk, we demonstrate a strategy for the self-assembly of multi-faced nanocolloids through the precipitation-induced, rapid demixing of polymer phases within a confined solution volume. Using a two-faced Janus colloid assembled from two simple homopolymers as a model system, we demonstrate the ability of the method to provide simultaneous control over particle size, surface functionality, and compositional anisotropy as the assembly process is scaled. Furthermore, we illustrate that tuning the molecular weight of the homopolymers and increasing the number of polymer components in the system can facilitate the formation of multi-faced and protruded nanocolloids, respectively. Our results demonstrate that incompatible polymers with different properties can be self-assembled into nanocolloids with controllable surface topology by simultaneously reducing the timescale and solution volume over which they undergo self-assembly. Finally, we demonstrate the ability to tune geometry in polymer-based colloids as well produce hybrid polymer/metal colloidal systems by our approach