Fig. 1

Investigation of crystallite dissolution by seed trapping. Schematic diagram describing a the control and b the seed trapping experiments performed to study the dissolution of PFS₅₃-b-PI₆₃₇ crystallites heated for 30 min in decane at different temperatures. In this scheme we use a color code to represent different chemical species: red represents polyferrocenyldimethylsilane (PFS) (either as the PFS block of a unimer or the crystalline core of a micelle), blue represents polyisoprene (PI), gray represents polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), while the black spheres represent the platinum nanoparticles from Karstedt’s catalyst used to stain PI. c and d TEM micrographs of PFS₅₃-b-PI₆₃₇ micelles obtained by heating PFS₅₃-b-PI₆₃₇ seeds in decane for 30 minutes at c 63 °C, and d 73 °C, and cooling them to room temperature. e Length distribution histograms of the micelles shown in (c) (63 °C, green columns), and (d) (73 °C, purple columns). TEM micrographs of triblock comicelles obtained by heating PFS₅₃-b-PI₆₃₇ seeds 25 minutes at f 63 °C and g 73 °C then adding PFS₆₀-b-PDMS₆₆₀ unimer, and after five more minutes, letting the solution cool to room temperature. h Length distribution histograms of the surviving PFS₅₃-b-PI₆₃₇ seeds after the sample was annealed at 63 °C (green columns) and 73 °C (purple columns). Samples f and g were trapped with excess of PFS₆₀-PDMS₆₆₀ unimer, and stained with Karstedt’s catalyst to highlight the PI rich regions. Scale bars, 500 nm