Grafting short peptides onto polybutadiene-block-poly(ethylene oxide): A platform for self-assembling hybrid amphiphiles

Abstract

The attachment of a hydrophobic peptide onto polybutadiene-block- poly(ethylene oxide) shifts the assembly morphologies in water towards those with lower curvatures, namely, from spherical micelles to wormlike micelles and vesicles (see picture; ωEO: weight fraction of the hydrophilic PEO block; PEO = poly(ethylene oxide); PBD = polybutadiene). Helical superstructures also arise from peptide interactions inside the hydrophobic core. (Figure Presented). © 2006 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.