FORMATION OF MICELLES OF DIBLOCK AND TRIBLOCK COPOLYMERS IN A SELECTIVE SOLVENT

We study theoretically the formation of dilute phases of spherical (mi celles), cylindrical (vermicelles), and planar (lamellae) aggregates o f copolymer chains in a selective solvent. In the case of diblock copo lymer chains, micelles are formed for all values of the block asymmetr y in the regime where dilute phases are predicted to occur (N(A) much less than N(B)3/2, with N(A) and N(B) the polymerization indices of th e A-collapsed and B-swollen blocks). For B-A-B triblock copolymers we find that spherical or cylindrical hollow structures might exist in th e solvent in a metastable state with a long associated lifetime.