ABSTRACT
Over the last three decades, block copolymers have shown great potential as functional blocks for the construction of a variety of nanoparticles and nanostructures with variable morphologies both in solutions and bulk or interfaces. The striking discovery of block copolymers some decades ago reflects the development of abundant nanoparticulates/ nanostructures with remarkable stability, chemical diversity, and processability. Block copolymers emerged as the subject of attention of the chemical community more than 40 years ago. Block copolymers’ competence in forming nanoscale-organized assemblies is the most appealing and researched one over the years, due to their contribution to gene and drug delivery applications, as potential nanocarriers of biomolecules and pharmaceutical substances, respectively, and nanotechnology. Physical encapsulation of proteins and peptides into block copolymer micelles/nanoparticles is widely applied as a method for the development of an array of biocompatible and biodegradable protein-based polymeric carriers.
