Block copolymer-derived monolithic polymer films and membranes comprising self-organized cylindrical nanopores for chemical sensing and separations.

Microphase separation of block copolymers (BCPs) has been extensively studied because it leads to the self-assembled formation of periodic structures controlled on the scale of tens of nanometers. In particular, BCP-derived cylindrical microdomains have attracted considerable interest for various applications owing to their well-defined shapes of uniform and tunable diameters. This focus review highlights recent efforts to apply BCP-derived monolithic films/membranes comprising cylindrical nanopores for chemical sensing and separations. The nanopores provide confined molecular pathways that exhibit enhanced selectivity based on steric, electrostatic, and chemical interactions, and thus, enable us to design unique electrochemical sensors and highly efficient separation membranes.