Spontaneous formation of giant unilamellar vesicles from microdroplets of a polyion complex by focused infrared laser irradiation

Abstract

Spontaneous formation of a giant polymer vesicle from a single micrometer-sized droplet of polyion complex (PIC) of diblock copolymers and its derivative by thermal perturbation, which is achieved by irradiation with a focused infrared laser is presented. The thermal perturbation induces a microphase separation inside of the PIC droplet and the generated water rich phase in the PIC droplet becomes a content of the vesicle and the PIC is deformed into a self-assembled membrane of the vesicle. The size of the giant unilamellar vesicles formed is determined on the basis of the initial size of the PIC droplets.