Recent Advances in Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly of Liquid Crystalline Monomers

Polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) represents a straightforward and efficient approach for preparing amphiphilic polymer assemblies, enabling simultaneous polymer synthesis and self-assembly in a one-pot process. Owing to these advantages, PISA has attracted considerable interest in recent years. In this review, we systematically summarize recent advancements in the PISA of conventional liquid-crystalline monomers (including azobenzene, perfluoroalkyl, stilbene, and biphenyl derivatives, etc.) and chiral liquid-crystalline monomers (such as cholesterol-based, chiral azobenzene, and chiral biphenyl units, etc.). Special attention is given to the effects of liquid crystalline monomers with various structures and functionalities on the morphology, liquid crystalline phase behavior, and chiroptical properties of the resulting polymer assemblies. Finally, we outline the critical challenges currently faced in this field and highlight potential future directions for the development of liquid crystalline polymers via the PISA method.