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Polymer infiltrated nanoporous gold is prepared by infiltrating polymer melts into a bicontinuous, nanoporous gold (NPG) scaffold. Polystyrene (PS) films with molecular weights (Mw) from 424 to 1133 kDa are infiltrated into a NPG scaffold (∼120 nm), with a pore radius (Rp) and pore volume fraction of 37.5 nm and 50%, respectively. The confinement ratios (Γ=RgRp) range from 0.47 to 0.77, suggesting that the polymers inside the pores are moderately confined. The time for PS to achieve 80% infiltration (τ80%) is determined using in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry at 150 °C. The kinetics of infiltration scales weaker with Mw, τ80%∝Mw1.30±0.20, than expected from bulk viscosity Mw3.4. Furthermore, the effective viscosity of the PS melt inside NPG, inferred from the Lucas–Washburn model, is reduced by more than one order of magnitude compared to the bulk. Molecular dynamics simulation results are in good agreement with experiments predicting scaling as Mw1.4. The reduced dependence of Mw and the enhanced kinetics of infiltration are attributed to a reduction in chain entanglement density during infiltration and a reduction in polymer–wall friction with increasing polymer molecular weight. Compared to the traditional approach involving adding discrete particles into the polymer matrix, these studies show that nanocomposites with higher loading can be readily prepared, and that kinetics of infiltration are faster due to polymer confinement inside pores. These films have potential as actuators when filled with stimuli-responsive polymers as well as polymer electrolyte and fuel cell membranes. 

Polymer-infiltrated nanoparticle films (PINFs) are a new class of nanocomposites that offer synergistic properties and functionality derived from unusually high fractions of nanomaterials. Recently, two versatile techniques,capillary rise infiltration (CaRI) and solvent-driven infiltration of polymer (SIP), have been introduced that exploit capillary forces in films of densely packed nanoparticles. In CaRI, a highly loaded PINF is produced by thermally induced wicking of polymer melt into the nanoparticle packing pores. In SIP, exposure of a polymer–nanoparticle bilayer to solvent vapor atmosphere induces capillary condensation of solvent in the pores of nanoparticle packing, leading to infiltration of polymer into the solvent-filled pores. CaRI/SIP PINFs show superior properties compared with polymer nanocomposite films made using traditional methods, including superb mechanical properties, thermal stability, heat transfer, and optical properties. This review discusses fundamental aspects of the infiltration process and highlights potential applications in separations, structural coatings, and polymer upcycling—a process to convert polymer wastes into useful chemicals. 

Naturally occurring nanocomposites like nacre owe their exceptional mechanical properties to high loadings of platelets that are bridged by small volume fractions of polymers. Polymer infiltration into dense assemblies of nanoparticles provides a powerful and potentially scalable approach to manufacture bio-inspired nanocomposites that mimic nacre's architecture. Solvent-driven infiltration of polymers (SIP) into nanoparticle packings formed on top of glassy polymer films is induced via capillary condensation of a solvent in the interstitial voids between nanoparticles (NP), followed by plasticization and transport of polymers into the liquid-filled pores, leading to the formation of the nanocomposite structure. To understand the effect of polymer–nanoparticle interactions on the dynamics of polymer infiltration in SIP, we perform molecular dynamics simulations. The mechanism of polymer infiltration and the influence of interactions between polymer and NPs on the dynamics of the process are investigated. Depending on the strength of interaction, polymer infiltration either follows (a) dissolution-dominated infiltration where plasticized polymer chains remain solvated in the pores and rapidly diffuse into the packing or (b) adhesion-dominated transport where the chains adsorb onto the nanoparticle surface and move slowly through the nanoparticle film as a well-defined front. A non-monotonic trend emerges as the adhesion strength is increased; the infiltration of chains becomes faster with the co-operative effect of adhesion and dissolution as adhesion increases but eventually slows down when the polymer–nanoparticle adhesion dominates.