New Perspectives for the Design of Molecular Actuators: Thermally Induced Collapse of Single Macromolecules from Cylindrical Brushes to Spheres

Polymethacrylates with densely grafted poly-N-isopropylacrylamide side chains change their shape at the lower critical solution temperature from cylindrical brushes (left) to spherical structures (right). This is an interesting example of a temperature-induced cylinder-to-sphere transition observed for single macromolecules.