Block polymer processing for mesostructured inorganic oxide materials
Mesoscopically ordered, hydrothermally stable metal oxide-block copolymer composite or mesoporous materials are described herein that are formed by using amphiphilic block copolymers which act as structure directing agents for the metal oxide in a self-assembling system.
1 . A method of forming a mesoscopically structured material having a dynamic change in refractive index comprising the steps of:
combining an amphiphilic block copolymer that functions as a structure-directing agent with an inorganic compound of a multivalent metal species whereby the block copolymer and inorganic compound are self-assembled and the inorganic compound is polymerized to form a mesoscopically structured inorganic-organic composite; and
at least partially filling the resulting mesoscopically structured inorganic-organic composite with a material having a dipole moment that is variable responsive to a predetermined stimulus.
2 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the material having a variable refractive index is responsive to a stimulus comprising an optical field.
3 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the material having a variable refractive index is responsive to a stimulus comprising an electric field.
4 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the material having a variable refractive index is responsive to a stimulus comprising a thermal field.
5 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment is selected from the group consisting of conjugated organic molecules, polycyclic aromatics, and azobenzenes.
6 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the material having variable dipole moment comprises an organic dye.
7 . The method according to claim 6 wherein the organic dye comprises a material selected from the group consisting of spiropyrans and spirooxazines.
8 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a photocrome.
9 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a photochromic surfactant.
10 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a multi-photon absorbing chromophore.
11 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a near-infrared chromophore selected from the group consisting of cyanines, polyenes, annulenes, and porphyrins.
12 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a π-conjugated near-infrared dye.
13 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a donor-acceptor polyene selected from the group consisting of meropolymethines and charged polymethines.
14 . The method according to claim 1 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a zwitterionic N-pyridinium phenolate.
15 . A method of forming a lens having a variable refractive index comprising the steps of:
combining an amphiphilic block copolymer that functions as a structure-directing agent with an inorganic compound of a multivalent metal species whereby the block copolymer and inorganic compound are self-assembled and the inorganic compound is polymerized to form a mesoscopically structured inorganic-organic composite;
at least partially filling the resulting mesoscopically structured inorganic-organic composite with a material having a dipole moment that is variable responsive to a predetermined stimulus; and
forming the mesoscopically structured inorganic-organic composite having the stimulus responsive variable refractive index material therein into a lens.
16 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the material having a variable refractive index is responsive to a stimulus comprising an optical field.
17 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the material having a variable refractive index is responsive to a stimulus comprising an electric field.
18 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the material having a variable refractive index is responsive to a stimulus comprising a thermal field.
19 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment is selected from the group consisting of conjugated organic molecules, polycyclic aromatics, and azobenzenes.
20 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the material having variable dipole moment comprises an organic dye.
21 . The method according to claim 20 wherein the organic dye comprises a material selected from the group consisting of spiropyrans and spirooxazines.
22 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a photocrome.
23 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a photochromic surfactant.
24 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a multi-photon absorbing chromophore.
25 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a near-infrared chromophore selected from the group consisting of cyanines, polyenes, annulenes, and porphyrins.
26 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a π-conjugated near-infrared dye.
27 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a donor-acceptor polyene selected from the group consisting of meropolymethines and charged polymethines.
28 . The method according to claim 15 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a zwitterionic N-pyridinium phenolate.
29 . A method of forming a mesoscopically structured material having a dynamic change in refractive index comprising the steps of:
combining an amphiphilic block copolymer that functions as a structure-directing agent with an inorganic compound of a multivalent metal species whereby the block copolymer and inorganic compound are self-assembled and the inorganic compound is polymerized to form a mesoscopically structured inorganic-organic film; and
at least partially filling the resulting mesoscopically structured inorganic-organic composite with a material having a dipole moment that is variable responsive to a predetermined stimulus.
30 . The method according to claim 29 wherein the material having a variable refractive index is responsive to a stimulus comprising an optical field.
31 . The method according to claim 29 wherein the material having a variable refractive index is responsive to a stimulus comprising an electric field.
32 . The method according to claim 29 wherein the material having a variable refractive index is responsive to a stimulus comprising a thermal field.
33 . The method according to claim 29 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment is selected from the group consisting of conjugated organic molecules, polycyclic aromatics, and azobenzenes.
34 . The method according to claim 29 wherein the material having variable dipole moment comprises an organic dye.
35 . The method according to claim 34 wherein the organic dye comprises a material selected from the group consisting of spiropyrans and spirooxazines.
36 . The method according to claim 29 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a photo crome.
37 . The method according to claim 29 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a photochromic surfactant.
38 . The method according to claim 29 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a multi-photon absorbing chromophore.
39 . The method according to claim 29 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a near-infrared chromophore selected from the group consisting of cyanines, polyenes, annulenes, and porphyrins.
40 . The method according to claim 29 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a π-conjugated near-infrared dye.
41 . The method according to claim 29 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a donor-acceptor polyene selected from the group consisting of meropolymethines and charged polymethines.
42 . The method according to claim 29 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a zwitterionic N-pyridinium phenolate.
43 . A method of forming a mesoscopically structured material having a dynamic change in refractive index comprising the steps of:
combining an amphiphilic block copolymer that functions as a structure-directing agent with an inorganic compound of a multivalent metal species whereby the block copolymer and inorganic compound are self-assembled and the inorganic compound is polymerized to form a mesoscopically structured inorganic-organic fiber; and
at least partially filling the resulting mesoscopically structured inorganic-organic composite with a material having a dipole moment that is variable responsive to a predetermined stimulus.
44 . The method according to claim 43 wherein the material having a variable refractive index is responsive to a stimulus comprising an optical field.
45 . The method according to claim 43 wherein the material having a variable refractive index is responsive to a stimulus comprising an electric field.
46 . The method according to claim 43 wherein the material having a variable refractive index is responsive to a stimulus comprising a thermal field.
47 . The method according to claim 43 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment is selected from the group consisting of conjugated organic molecules, polycyclic aromatics, and azobenzenes.
48 . The method according to claim 43 wherein the material having variable dipole moment comprises an organic dye.
49 . The method according to claim 48 wherein the organic dye comprises a material selected from the group consisting of spiropyrans and spirooxazines.
50 . The method according to claim 43 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a photo crome.
51 . The method according to claim 43 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a photochromic surfactant.
52 . The method according to claim 43 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a multi-photon absorbing chromophore.
53 . The method according to claim 43 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a near-infrared chromophore selected from the group consisting of cyanines, polyenes, annulenes, and porphyrins.
54 . The method according to claim 43 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a π-conjugated near-infrared dye.
55 . The method according to claim 43 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a donor-acceptor polyene selected from the group consisting of meropolymethines and charged polymethines.
56 . The method according to claim 43 wherein the material having a variable dipole moment comprises a zwitterionic N-pyridinium phenolate.