How do polymers and nanomaterials confined in nanospaces behave? The physical properties of materials confined in ultra-small spaces, where only a few, or even one single molecule (chain) can exist, would not necessarily be governed by the classical theories for bulk materials. Indeed, we have discovered unique behavior in polymers that results from the low-dimensional assemblies formed in the nanochannels of MOFs. For example, our technique enabled thermal transitions of a discrete number of polymer chains to be observed for the first time by systematically tuning the pore size and environment of the MOFs. The novel arrangements and conformations of polymer chains found in nanospaces result in the significant amplification of certain physical properties as well as the emergence of previously-unknown functions, paving the way for various applications, such as solar cells and gas sensors.
Drastic increase in the photoconductivity of polymers confined in MOF nanospaces
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