Freely Jointed Polymers Made of Droplets.

摘要: An important goal of self-assembly is to achieve a preprogrammed structure with high fidelity. Here, we control the valence DNA-functionalized emulsions make linear and branched model polymers, or "colloidomers." The distribution cluster sizes consistent polymerization process in which droplets their prescribed valence. Conformational statistics reveal that chains are freely jointed, so Kuhn length close one bead diameter. end-to-end scales number bonds N as N^{ν}, where ν≈3/4, agreement Flory theory two dimensions. chain diffusion coefficient D approximately D∝N^{-ν}, predicted by Zimm model. Unlike molecular colloidomers can be repeatedly assembled disassembled under temperature cycling, allowing for reconfigurable, responsive matter.