Anion-dipole interactions make the homopolymers self-assemble into multiple nanostructures.

Abstract

Anion-dipole interactions can make homopolymers self-assemble like an amphiphilic block copolymer. Generally, common homopolymers cannot self-assemble into multiple nanostructures. Here, it is reported that anion-dipole interactions can enable a number of homopolymers to achieve a variety of self-assembly behaviors in aqueous solution. Such interactions and self-assembly features have been exclusively reserved for amphiphilic (block) polymers until now.