Emulsification-Induced Homohelicity in Racemic Helical Polymer for Preparing Optically Active Helical Polymer Nanoparticles

Optically active nano- and microparticles have constituted a significant category of advanced functional materials. However, constructing optically active particles derived from synthetic helical polymers still remains as a big challenge. In the present study, it is attempted to induce a racemic helical polymer (containing right- and left-handed helices in equal amount) to prefer one predominant helicity in aqueous media by using emulsifier in the presence of chiral additive (emulsification process). Excitingly, the emulsification process promotes the racemic helical polymer to unify the helicity and directly provides optically active nanoparticles constructed by chirally helical polymer. A possible mechanism is proposed to explain the emulsification-induced homohelicity effect. The present study establishes a novel strategy for preparing chirally helical polymer-derived optically active nanoparticles based on racemic helical polymers.

Emulsification-induced homohelicity strategy is established for the first time for preparing optically active helical polymer nanoparticles by starting from racemic helical polymers. Compared with chiral induction in solution process, this strategy is more advantageous by directly constructing optically active polymer particles. Based on the versatile strategy, more novel chiral polymer materials can be expected.

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