TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The clusters are formed from the hydrolysis of one of silicon alkoxide of formula (Si(OR)4) and a silicon halide of formula (SiX4) or hydrolysis of a bridged-silesquioxane of formula ((R1O)3Si-R2-Si(OR1)3). The time period is sufficient to select the desired nanostructured film that self-assembles from one of the periodic self-assembled phases after coating which includes: face-centered cubic, body-centered cubic, primitive cubic, rhombohedral, orthorhombic, Pm-3n cubic, Pn-3m cubic, three-dimensional hexagonal, two-dimensional hexagonal, two-dimensional rectangular, disordered wormhole, double-gyroid, L3 sponge phase or lamellar phase. Increasing the time period decreases the interfacial curvature. The method further comprises controlling at least one of concentration of water, pH, temperature and time of aging of the coating solution, relative humidity during coating and the vapor phase composition after coating. Preferred Components: The clusters comprise silicon, carbon and oxygen to yield a nanoporous film having walls of silicon, carbon and oxygen. The silicon alkoxide is tetraethyl orthosilicate. The bridged-silsesquioxane is 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: The surfactant contains a poly(ethylene oxide) group, which includes poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-alkane copolymer ((H(OCH2CH2)17-(OCH(CH3)(CH2))12-(CH2)13 CH3)) or a poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) copolymer ((H(OCH2CH2)19-(OCH(CH3)CH2)43-(OCH2CH2)19H)). The time period corresponds to the double gyroid-based structure of the nanoporous film. The film is defined by one of gyroid surface or distorted gyroid surface. The film has the double-gyroid topology, where the pore network comprises two pore networks separated by a solid. The two pore networks are continuous and non-intersecting. At least 25% of the substrate is accessible through the pore network at substrate-film interface. The pore has average size of less than 5 nm. The pores contain one of a metal, semi-metal or semiconductor material which is continuous for length of at least 20 nm having properties that result from the quantum confinement of electrons and electron holes.R = any organic group comprised of C and one of H, N, P, O, S, Se, Te, F, Cl, Br, I or At;X = F, Cl, Br, I and/or At; andR1, R2 = any organic group comprised of C and one of H, N, P, O, S, Se, Te, F, Cl, Br or I. EXAMPLE - No suitable example given.