New Vesicle−Polymer Hybrids:  The Parachute Architecture

• Published in: Langmuir Vol. 13; no. 26; pp. 6877 - 6880
• Main Authors: Jung, M, Hubert, D. H. W, Bomans, P. H. H, Frederik, P. M, Meuldijk, J, van Herk, A. M, Fischer, H, German, A. L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 24.12.1997
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Exact sciences and technology; Organic polymers; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymerization; Preparation, kinetics, thermodynamics, mechanism and catalysts; Quaternary ammonium compound; Vesicle; Free radical polymerization; Template polymerization; Morphology; Styrene polymer; Experimental study; Mechanism
• ISSN: 0743-7463; 1520-5827
• DOI: 10.1021/la9709812

The influence of organized media on polymerization reactions results in many cases in interesting morphologies of the polymeric material. In the present study, vesicle bilayers were used as ordered medium for the free radical polymerization of styrene. Cryo-electron microscopy gives evidence that the polymerization induces phase-separation phenomena leading to parachute-like morphologies. On the basis of general knowledge about vesicles and polymerizations in heterogeneous media, explanations for the observed phenomena are given. Bearing in mind that vesicles are outstanding models for membrane mimetic chemistry, it becomes evident that these findings can be relevant to the investigation of, for example, membrane−protein interactions.