Block copolymer-ceramic hybrid materials from organically modified ceramicprecursors

The study of amphiphilic polymer based functional organic-inorganic hybrid materials is an emerging research area offering enormous scientific and tec hnological promise. Here, we show that employing poly(isoprene-block-ethyle ne oxide) block copolymers (PI-b-PEO) and a silicon precursor, which contai ns a polymerizable organic moiety, unprecedented morphology control on the nanoscale is obtained. This control is based on a unique polymer-ceramic in terface, which is characterized using a multi-nuclei solid-state NMR approa ch. The results show that the hydrophilic parts of the polymer are complete ly integrated into the ceramic phase, thereby leading to a quasi "two-phase system", allowing for a more rational hybrid morphology design based on th e current understanding of the phase behavior of block copolymers and copol ymer-homopolymer mixtures. Examination of the full phase space of the hybri d materials reveals the existence of a new bicontinuous cubic structure tha t was not known to exist in polymer systems. SAXS and TEM data of this stru cture are consistent with a so-called "Plumber's nightmare" morphology. Sel ective solvent swelling of the hydrophobic parts of the hybrids leads to is olated nano-objects of different shapes, sizes, and compositions, while hea t treatment generates mesoporous ceramic materials in which the mesostructu re of the precursor material is preserved. Potential applications of these materials ranging from nanobiotechnology to catalysis are discussed.