Figure 1.

a) Synthesis of a PGMA₅₆ macro-CTA by RAFT solution polymerization using a 4-cyano-4-(2-phenylethane sulfanylthiocarbonyl) sulfanylpentanoic acid (PETTC) RAFT agent, and its subsequent chain extension with HPMA to form PGMA–PHPMA diblock copolymer nano-objects at pH 3.5. b) Illustration of the worm-to-sphere morphological transition when COOH-functionalized worms are subjected to a pH change upon addition of base. ACVA= 4,4′-azobis(4-cyanopentanoic acid), the radical initiator.