## 3 Polymerization Reactions within AAO Templates
### Radical Polymerization
The nanotubes were filled with Fe\({}_{3}\)O\({}_{4}\) nanoparticles to prepare magnetic light-emitting nanotubes, giving new nanocomposites that could be positioned with magnetic forces. The isolation of polymerizable styryl groups from the fluorescence- and HT-active chromophore core is the key feature for the nanotubes to preserve the optical properties of the monomer (Figure 5). The authors suggested that the proposed method allows for the fabrication of nanotubes with desired functions by tailoring the designated monomer in advance. The above examples briefly summarize, in chronological order, some of the first examples reported in the literature that just imply radical polymerization methods (although were not specified in the works), photopolymerization reaction and other examples that can be considered of interest from a technological point of view. The following sections describe a detailed study of Polymerization kinetics of acrylic and other vinyl monomers polymerization for different monomers:  
Polystyrene synthesis is the first detailed study of the reaction kinetics of free radical vinyl polymerization within AAO nanoreactors [124]. Using azobisisobutyronitrile (AlBN) as an initiator, [PERSON] et al. studied the polymerization kinetics of styrene at different temperatures inside AAO templates of 35 nm in diameter, and the results were compared to bulk polymerization. SEM studies allowed for the establishment of the morphology of the final polystyrene (PS) nanostructures and confocal Raman microscopy (CRM) to monitor the monomer conversion as a function of time. This methodology was applied for the determination of the polymerization kinetics in confinement in AAO templates and to demonstrate that the reaction rate in the AAO nanoreactor was three times higher than the polymerization in bulk. By SEC characterization, monomodal chromatograms for polystyrene synthesized in the AAO nanoreactors at all reaction times was obtained while a bimodal behavior was observed for polystyrene obtained in bulk. It was also observed that the weight-averaged molecular weights and the polydispersity index of polymer obtained in confinement were lower than those from bulk polymerization. Moreover, compared to the bulk synthesized polymer, \({}^{13}\)C NMR spectra of PS nanostructures showed differences  
Figure 5: (**a**) Scheme of preparation of poly-VB-FNPD nanotubes in AAO-templated in situ polymerization. (**b**) SEM images of the array of poly-VB-FNPD nanotubes. (**c**) The Fe\({}_{3}\)O\({}_{4}\)NP–OLET nanocomposites dispersed in DI water. (**d**) The corresponding blue emission excited using a 365 nm UV lamp. (**e**) The nanocomposites attracted to one side of the vial by a magnet and (**f**) excited by UV. (**g**) The TEM image of Fe\({}_{3}\)O\({}_{4}\)NP–OLET nanocomposites [123]. Copyright 2014. Reproduced with permission from the publisher: RSC. in the polymer stereoreg regularity, probably due to differences in the diffusion of growing chains in confinement, that could favor a more stereoregular polymerization. Polymerization of perfluorodecyl acrylate was carried out by [PERSON] et al. [125] within AAO nanoreactor to study the free radical polymerization kinetics of a perfluorodecyl acrylate monomer (FA) using AIBN as initiator in order to obtain a superhydrophobic nanostructured polymer surface. The kinetics of the reaction were monitored by following the decrease of the C=C stretching signal of the monomer, as shown in Figure 6a. This monomer yields a low Tg polymer that therefore does not exhibit any gel effect during polymerization. A mathematical model was derived to explain the decrease in polymerization rate when the polymerization was carried out in confinement. Authors observed a good agreement between the compartmentalized model and the experimental data. Nevertheless, bulk free radical polymerization proceeded at a much faster rate, Figure 6b.