Front Cover: In article number 2100302 by Shiao-Wei Kuo and co-workers, an unusual linear symmetric PEO-b-PCL diblock copolymer as a template within phenolic/DDSQ hybrids is used to synthesize mesoporous materials having Frank–Kasper phases including σ, A15, H, and Z phases. These Frank-Kasper structures are the first to have been prepared using a block copolymer and the first to exist in mesoporous materials.

Aligning block copolymer nanodomains provides a means to produce anisotropic materials properties, which are particularly attractive for many applications. This review highlights the progress in the development of anisotropic block copolymers, including annealing methodologies, structure–property relationships, and their potential use in emerging nanotechnologies. Forward-looking perspectives are presented about the opportunities and challenges to further expand this exciting field.

Mesoporous Frank–Kasper Phase: Unusual linear symmetric PEO-b-PCL diblock copolymer as the template into PDDSQ hybrids to synthesize the mesoporous phenolic/DDSQ materials with Frank-Kasper phases, such as σ, A15, H, and Z phases, can act as the first example to both the block copolymer and mesoporous materials fields.

An encapsulation of modified zirconia (ZrO₂) nanoparticles in ultraviolet-curable polyurethane acrylate-based hybrid films is fabricated for wearable device applications, which have an ultrahigh hardness of 9 and an excellent refractive index of 1.64 (589.3 nm). The highly controlled material provides structurally morphable, water resistant, and optically transparent light emitting diodes toward wearables devices in healthcare.

A simple and large-scale non-chemical method, cooling-assisted phase separation method, is developed to prepare uniform poly(ionic liquid) microbeads in a mixed solvent composed of good solvent and non-solvent. This method does not need any stabilizers and possesses high yield of 88%. The size of microbeads can be controlled by adjusting the preparation parameters.

Herein synthesis of a well-defined hetero-8-shaped amphiphilic copolymer, cyclic-poly(oligo(ethylene glycol)monomethyl ether methacrylate)-b-cyclic PCL (cPOEGMA-b-cPCL) is reported by an elegant integration of intrachain click cyclization and interchain click coupling. The micelles based on cPOEGMA-b-cPCL show much slower degradation profiles than the previously reported linear counterpart, POEGMA-b-PCL and tadpole-shaped analog, PEG-b-cPCL because of the presence of cyclic hydrophilic POEGMA segment.

A macrocyclic photoinitiator matching long-wavelength light (365–405 nm) is developed based on the naphthalene-based macrocycle prism[5]arene (NP₅OCH₃). Under light irradiation, the macrocycle is cleaved to linear oligomer biradicals, which can efficiently initiate the free radical photopolymerization of acrylate monomers. Owing to no small molecule fragment generated during NP₅OCH₃ fracture, NP₅OCH₃ photoinitiator shows much lower migration rate and cytotoxicity.

This study reports the first monolithic organic/c-Si tandem solar cells using polymer photoactive materials on c-Si wafer substrates. The each subcell is electrically connected by showing an open circuit voltage over 1.4 V, and the efficiency simulation results indicate the possibility of achieving over 20% efficiency using the organic/c-Si tandem cells.

Syndiotactic polymethylene (st-PM) with perfluoroethyl moieties at the end of the side chains exhibits more persistent water repellency than the polyacrylate with the same side chains. This stable hydrophobicity is ascribed to the suppression of rearrangement of the side chains when they contact water due to a liquid crystal formed with side chains extended perpendicularly from the main chains.

Mussel-mimetic block copolymer micelles based on polyzwitterions as one block and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) and dopamine methacrylamide as another block are fabricated via metal–catechol dynamic cross-links. These micelles are responsive toward change in both temperature and pH as studied from their solution properties and morphologies.

Cluster luminescence dances with adjustable crystallinity and crystal form. By precisely adjusting the crystallinity and crystal form, the changing trend of quantum efficiency and p-RTP lifetime is consistent with the changing crystallinity of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), and cellulose I may be more beneficial to photoluminescence (PL) emission than cellulose II. Clustering-triggered emission mechanisms can reasonably explain these interesting photophysical processes.