Fabrication of Nanostructured Composite Microspheres Based on the Self-Assembly of Polymers and Functional Nanomaterials

This Review examines recent developments in the morphological control of polymer microspheres fabricated via the phase separation of polymers as well as the alignment of functional nanoparticles inside microspheres prepared by so-called bottom-up synthesis techniques. Several methods for adjusting the internal and surface morphologies of polymer microspheres based on the phase separation of polymer blends and block copolymers are discussed, and the effects of microsphere size on phase separated structures and theoretical simulations of morphologies are also reviewed. The alignment of functional nanoparticles in phase separated polymer microspheres and applications of nanostructured and hybrid polymer microspheres are summarized.