Micelles self-assembled by block copolymers are widely used in nanoscience and biomedical science. In the past few decades, much effort has been applied to the synthesis, characterization and applications of the polymeric micelles. However, previous research studies have paid less attention to the functionalization of coronae of the micelles. Herein, micelles with disulfide groups in the coronae were prepared and the micelles were used as a platform for functional modification reactions. Polystyrene-block-poly(oligo(ethylene glycol)monomethyl ether methacrylate)-block-poly(oligo(ethylene glycol)monomethyl ether methacrylate-co-2-((2-hydroxyethyl)disulfanyl)ethyl methacrylate), PS-b-PPEGMA-b-P(PEGMA-co-HDSMA), triblock copolymer was synthesized by RAFT polymerization. In aqueous solution, the triblock copolymer self-assembled into micelles with disulfides in the coronae. Upon cleavage of the disulfide bonds, thiol groups were produced in the coronae, and the micelles were able to undergo oxidation-induced aggregation. Hydroethyl disulfide groups in the PS-b-PPEGMA-b-P(PEGMA-co-HDSMA) triblock copolymer were converted to pyridyl disulfide groups by cleavage of the S–S bonds with tributylphosphine and reaction with dipyridyl disulfide. In PBS buffer solution, the modified triblock copolymer self-assembled into micelles with pyridyl disulfides in the coronae. The micelles were used as a platform for the preparation of glutathione or fluorescent group-decorated micelles. The antioxidant properties and the fluorescence properties of the functional micelles are reported in this paper. On the basis of this method, many different functional micelles can be prepared.

The influence of nano-silica (nSiO₂) and micro-silica (mSiO₂) in the shell and wood fiber filler in the core on the thermal expansion behavior of co-extruded wood/polyethylene composites (Co-WPCs) was investigated to optimize the thermal expansion resistance. The cut Co-WPCs samples showed anisotropic thermal expansion, and the thermal expansion strain and linear coefficient of thermal expansion (LCTE) decreased by filling the shell layer with rigid silica, especially nSiO₂. Finite element analysis indicated that the polymer-filled shell was mainly responsible for the thermal expansion. The entire Co-WPCs samples exhibited a lower thermal expansion strain than the cut Co-WPCs samples due to protection by the shell. Increasing the wood fiber content in the core significantly decreased the thermal expansion strain and LCTE of the Co-WPCs. The Co-WPCs whose core layer was filled with 70% wood fiber exhibited the greatest anisotropic thermal expansion.

The rheological properties of wood–plastic composites (WPCs) with different wood fiber contents were investigated using a rotational rheometer under low shear rates. The flow field information was analyzed and simulated by Ansys Polyflow software. The results showed that the WPCs with different wood fiber contents behaved as typical power-law fluids. A higher wood fiber content increased the shear thinning ability and pseudoplasticity of the WPCs. The pressure, velocity, shear rate, and viscosity distributions of the WPC during extrusion could be predicted by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) Ansys Polyflow software to explore the effects of different components on the flow field of WPCs.