LAUSR

Two-dimensional (2-D) micro- and nano-architectures are attractive because of their unique properties. However, the formation of 2-D supramolecular highly symmetrical structures with considerable control is still a major challenge. Here we present a simple approach for the preparation of regular and homogeneous 2-D fluorescent square non-crystallization micelles with conjugated diblock copolymers PPV12-b-P2VPn through a process of dissolving–cooling–aging. The scale of the formed micelles can be controlled by the ratio of PPV/P2VP blocks and the concentration of the solution. The results reveal that the micelles of PPV12-b-P2VPn initially form 1-D structures and then grow into 2-D structures in solution, and the growth is driven by intermolecular π–π interactions with the PPV12 blocks. The formation of 2-D square micelles is induced by herringbone arrangement of the molecules, which is closely related to the presence of the branched alkyl chains attached to conjugated PPV12 cores.Crystallization-driven processes play a vital role in preparing 2D nanostructures which makes structures with high symmetry hard to access. Here the authors present a non-crystallization approach which is based on π–π interactions of a copolymer for the fabrication of 2D symmetric structures with good dimensional control.