Poly(ionic liquid)-based nanomaterials are morphologically modulated and used as catalysts
image: Living radical polymerization ensures the fabrication of block copolymers, which can self-assemble into various morphologies like spheres, vesicles and bicontinuous networks. In catalytic applications, PILs can not only act as catalysts themselves, but can also cooperate with metal ions or clusters or even MOFs to achieve better catalytic performance.
Credit: Nano Research, Tsinghua University Press
High catalytic efficiency is crucial for both chemical production and laboratory research. Poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs), an emerging material capable of forming high specific surface areas through self-assembly, are considered a highly promising candidate for increasing reaction sites and reducing mass transfer limitations. PIL and its related composite materials provide valuable guidance for catalyst design and industrial production.
Recently, Professor Jinying Yuan’s research group from the Department of Chemistry at Tsinghua University published a review article titled "Synthesis, morphological control and catalytic application of nanomaterials containing poly(ionic liquid)s" in the journal Nano Research on March 30. This comprehensive review systematically summarizes recent advances in the synthetic strategies, morphological control, and catalytic applications of poly(ionic liquid) (PIL) nanomaterials, while outlining future challenges and development directions for the field.
Poly(ionic liquids) are a class of functional polyelectrolytes polymerized from ionic liquid monomers. They not only inherit the unique physicochemical properties of ionic liquids, such as high thermal stability, negligible vapor pressure, and high ionic conductivity, but also possess the structural designability and processability of polymeric materials. Notably, PILs can self-assemble into various well-defined nanostructures ranging from spheres and vesicles to three-dimensional continuous networks, providing an ideal material platform for achieving efficient heterogeneous catalysis.
The review first systematically outlines the synthetic methodologies for PILs, highlighting the critical role of modern polymerization techniques such as living radical polymerization (e.g., RAFT, ATRP) in enabling precise control over PIL molecular structures. It elaborates on the thermodynamic and kinetic mechanisms driving PIL self-assembly, analyzing in detail how factors like side-chain structure, block design, and counterion exchange influence the final morphology. Through numerous examples, the research team demonstrates that rational molecular design and choice of assembly method (e.g., traditional post-assembly, polymerization-induced self-assembly) enable controlled fabrication of PIL nanostructures from simple spheres to complex bicontinuous phases.
Regarding catalytic applications, the article provides an in-depth analysis of PIL functionalization across three levels: 1) acting directly as acidic/alkaline catalysts for important transformations such as esterification and CO₂ cycloaddition; 2) serving as efficient supports for metal nanoparticles (e.g., Pd, Au, Cu) and metal ions to construct stable and highly active heterogeneous catalytic systems; and 3) forming novel hybrid materials with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to achieve synergistic catalytic effects. PIL-based materials exhibit outstanding advantages, particularly in CO₂ capture and conversion, maintaining high catalytic efficiency even under low CO₂ concentrations.
"The self-assembly behavior of PILs endows them with unique nanoconfinement effects and interfacial properties, providing a novel approach for constructing advanced, structure-function integrated catalytic systems," noted Professor Jinying Yuan, the corresponding author of the paper. "By precisely regulating the nanostructure of PILs, we can optimize reactant mass transfer, improve active site utilization, and achieve significant enhancement in catalytic performance."
Although PIL materials show broad application prospects, the review also clearly identifies current challenges: a general theoretical model for the precise synthesis of complex topological structures remains to be established; the stability of metal/PIL composite materials during recycling needs improvement; and research on material compatibility with industrial continuous-flow processes is still in its early stages. Future research requires sustained breakthroughs in areas such as AI-assisted molecular design, the construction of dynamic intelligent catalytic systems, and the expansion of cross-disciplinary applications.
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 52273106, and 52473114).
DOI Link:
https://doi.org/10.26599/NR.2026.94908511
About Nano Research
Nano Research is a peer-reviewed, open access, international and interdisciplinary research journal, sponsored by Tsinghua University and the Chinese Chemical Society, published by Tsinghua University Press on the platform SciOpen. It publishes original high-quality research and significant review articles on all aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology, ranging from basic aspects of the science of nanoscale materials to practical applications of such materials. After 18 years of development, it has become one of the most influential academic journals in the nano field. Nano Research has published more than 1,000 papers every year from 2022, with its cumulative count surpassing 8,000 articles. In 2025 InCites Journal Citation Reports, its 2025 IF is 9.4 (8.3, 5 years), and it continues to be the Q1 area among the four subject classifications. Nano Research Award, established by Nano Research together with TUP and Springer Nature in 2013, and Nano Research Young Innovators (NR45) Awards, established by Nano Research in 2018, have become international academic awards with global influence.