Block copolymers occupy a huge area of research because they offer a vast range of possibilities for architecture, size, and chemical composition. Advances in polymer chemistry, such as anionic polymerisation and most recently living radical polymerization, have enabled a vast array of block copolymers to be synthesized with great control over their architecture, molecular weight, chemical composition, and functionality. Their intrinsic multi-properties allow the combination of different polymers and therefore the design of novel materials potentially comprising several different properties (e.g. thermoplastic, rubber, ductile, electrical conductivity, etc.).

In bulk, when the different blocks are chemically immiscible, the balance between the entropically and enthalpically driven phase separation and the chemical bond constraints between the blocks drives the formation of ordered domains. In solution, the interactions between the solvent and the different blocks dictate the ability to form well-defined structures. The architecture, molecular weight, volume fractions of blocks, and chemical functionality can all be set in the synthesis, making designer block copolymers a reality. The ability to effectively design nanoparticles and nanostructures to your preference, coupled with the wide range of applications associated with them, has made them an incredibly popular topic of research. Herein, I explore the latest developments in block copolymer nanoparticles and nanostructures formed in solution.