Polymer crystallization at liquid-liquid interface

Abstract

Most of the research activities in the field of polymer crystallization have been focused on bulk, solution, or thin films. Liquid/liquid (L/L) interface provides another insightful platform to manipulate the crystallization of long chain polymers. This review will discuss polymer crystallization influenced by or confined near/at L/L interfaces. Polymer blends and solution will be first discussed as the underlying liquid-liquid-phase separation (LLPS) generates L/L interface which strongly couples with crystallization. This will continue into a discussion of utilizing flat air/water interface where the fast dynamics offers a unique opportunity to tune crystal structure and crystallization. The focus will then be shifted to polymer crystallization confined at curved L/L interface where the crystallization process is simultaneously influenced by the interface chemistry and dynamics, LLPS within the droplet, and the confinement in such a curved environment. Manipulating this diverse parameter space has allowed the attainment of numerous novel crystalline and hybrid nanostructures.