Block copolymer processing for mesostructured inorganic oxide materials
View Patent ↗Mesoscopically ordered, hydrothermally stable metal oxide-block copolymer composite or mesoporous materials are described herein that are formed by using amphiphilic block polymers which act as structure directing agents for the metal oxide in a self-assembling system.
1. A method of forming a mesoscopically structured material comprising the step of combining an amphiphilic block copolymer with an inorganic species in a solvent, wherein the block copolymer and the inorganic species are assembled and then the assembled inorganic species are polymerized to form a mesoscopically structured inorganic-organic composite.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said inorganic species is tetraethoxysilane which has a molecular formula of Si(OC 2 H 5 ) 4 .
3. A mesoscopically structured material that was formed by combining an amphiphilic block copolymer with an inorganic species in a solvent, wherein the block copolymer and the inorganic species are assembled and then the assembled inorganic species are polymerized to form a mesoscopically structured inorganic-organic composite.
4. The mesoscopically structured material of claim 3 , wherein said inorganic species is tetraethoxysilane which has a molecular formula of Si(OC 2 H 5 ) 4 .