Nanoconfined Polymerization: Advantages of Lyotropic Liquid Crystals as Soft Templates

Abstract

Polymerization within nanoconfinement offers a versatile approach to creating nanostructured materials with unique properties and a wide range of applications. Therefore, it is important to understand the nature of polymerization in both hard and soft nanoconfinements, which have been classified based on their mechanical modulus in this perspective. We also evaluate factors affecting the kinetics of polymerization within different templates. Template walls, mainly in hard nanoconfinement, may have a catalytic effect and enhance initial polymerization rates. Additionally, increased termination rates as well as lower limiting conversion are observed in those templates. On the other hand, we discuss the self-assembled amphiphilic molecules in selective solvents, known as lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs), as a common class of soft templates inducing nanoconfinement during polymerization. Key factors such as initiator type, monomer chemistry, crosslinking density, and arrangement of the micelles in LLC templates are brought into a framework in this perspective to analyze their impact on polymerization rates and structural retention in LLCs.