Nanofluidics Approach to Separate between Static and Kinetic Nanoconfinement Effects on the Crystallization of Polymers

Here we report a nanofluidics approach that allows one to discriminate, for the first time, between static and kinetic effects on the crystallization of polymers in 2-dimensional nanoconfinement. Nanofluidics cells designed to monitor in real time, via permittivity measurements, the flow process of polymers into cylindrical nanopores were employed to investigate the crystallization of poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (PVDF-TrFE) under static and under kinetic confinement conditions. A significant separation between static confinement effects and flow effects in confinement is reported. A characteristic time is deduced, to quantify the impact of flow on the crystallization process of polymers taking place under conditions of 2D geometrical nanoconfinement.