Seeded Growth and Solvent-Induced Fragmentation of Fiber like Polyferrocenylsilane Polyisoprene Block Copolymer Micelles

Addition of a concentrated solution of PI(1000)-PFS(50) dissolved in THF to a solution of PI(1000)-PFS(50) seed micelles in decane led to the formation of uniform elongated fiberlike micelles with a narrow length distribution. When additional THF (>10 vol.-%) was added to the micelles, the micelle length decreased and the contour-length distribution broadened. This effect was shown to be inconsistent with a transition to an equilibrium, in which individual polymer molecules dissociated from and added to existing micelles. Rather, it appears that the polar solvent induced fragmentation of the fiberlike micelles.