One-Pot Synthesis of Nanovesicles via Surface-Initiated Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly of Polychloroprene-Grafted Silica

This study presents the first instance of polychloroprene-grafted inorganic nanoparticles self-assembling into single-walled vesicles by surface-initiated polymerization. Initially, a solvent-miscible brush was used to attach 15-nm silica nanoparticles. A second brush that was soluble in solvent was then polymerized to stimulate self-assembly. On-site self-assembly took place while the second brush was being surface-initiated polymerization. This method enables the production of nanovesicles at a comparatively high concentration of NPs and eliminates the need for post-polymerization processing. Additionally, this technique helped us better understand how the surface-grafted polymer controls NP vesicular assembly, enabling us to observe how well-dispersed NPs formed into nanovesicles.