Advances in self-ordering macromolecules and nanostructure design

Nanostructured macromolecules, such as block copolymers, elucidate the fund amental principles governing self-organization in soft condensed matter. Si gnificant experimental and theoretical advances regarding complex morpholog y development in bulk copolymers and their homopolymer blends have recently been achieved. New equilibrium block copolymer morphologies have been repo rted for copolymers in the super-strong segregation regime, and the pathway s by which bicontinuous morphologies in copolymers and copolymer blends for m have been identified. Emerging research directions target chemically tail ored copolymer systems as designer templates for uniform ceramic nanostruct ures and field-responsive devices with switchable molecular orientation.