Carbohydrate-based block copolymer self-assemblies : nanoparticles and sub 10 nm highly nanostructured thin films

Current knowledge in macromolecular engineering allows for the preparation of a myriad of tailored block copolymer morphologies, which play distinguished, multifaceted roles in nanoscience and technology. Such systems exhibit a remarkable ability to self-assemble into a great variety of supra-macromolecular structures both in solution (nanoparticles) and in thin films, whose domain spacing span from few to hundred nanometers. Most of those systems are, however, derived from petroleum: A resource that is being rapidly depleted! We have recently developed novel glycopolymer (carbohydrate-based) leading by self-assembly process to thin films shooting down to few nm-high-resolution nanoscale pattern which found a number of key applications, spanning from nanolithography, pharmaceutical, and biomedical engineering flexible electronic devices.