Template synthesis in hydrodynamically-aligned supramolecular nano-channels

This paper describes the template synthesis of polymers in nanosized channels of aligned supramolecular fibrous assemblies (supramo-lecular fibers) that are present in a gel strand (Figure 1). We found that the incorporation of hydrophobic monomers into the nanosized channels of the fibers results in the formation of highly aligned polymers along the axis of the gel strand. Moreover, we found that the mechanical strength of the gel strands is sufficient for them to be handled in a microfluidic channel. We believe that our strategy for synthesizing and handling aligned polymers is of interest from the viewpoint of manufacturing highly conductive organic wires and electronic devices requiring flexibility and/or a large surface area.