Figure 1. Funnel concept for the directed hierarchical self-assembly of ABC triblock terpolymers in solution.

Minimization of kinetic traps is realized by step-wise reduction of conformational freedom via pre-assembled subunits. In the first step, triblock terpolymers self-assemble into subunits, that is, pre-assembled intermediates, in a non-solvent for the middle block B (black), leaving different corona conformations of A (red) and C (grey). In the second step, the collapse of block A is triggered by exposure to a non-solvent for A and B, and higher-level assembly of the subunits occurs into the final superstructure. The process is accompanied by a refinement of the initial corona structure of A and C, and the conformational space narrows down into MCM superstructures of low polydispersity (Scale bar is 50 nm).