This Perspective explores the recent progress made by means of small-angle scattering methods in structural studies of phase transitions in amphiphilic liquid-crystalline systems with nanochannel architectures and outlines some future directions in the area of hierarchically organized and stimuli-responsive nanochanneled assemblies involving biomolecules. Time-resolved small-angle X-ray scattering investigations using synchrotron radiation enable monitoring of the structural dynamics, the modulation of the nanochannel hydration, as well as the key changes in the soft matter liquid-crystalline organization upon stimuli-induced phase transitions. They permit establishing of the inner nanostructure transformation kinetics and determination of the precise sizes of the hydrophobic membraneous compartments and the aqueous channel diameters in self-assembled network architectures. Time-resolved structural studies accelerate novel biomedical, pharmaceutical, and nanotechnology applications of nanochannel soft materials by providing better control of DNA, peptide and protein nanoconfinement, and release from diverse stimuli-responsive nanocarrier systems.

§Helmholtz Zentrum Geesthacht Centre for Materials and Coastal Research 21502 Geesthacht Germany

†CNRS UMR8612 Physico chimie Pharmacotechnie Biopharmacie Univ Paris Sud 11 Châtenay Malabry F 92296 France

‡Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic 16206 Prague Czech Republic

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