Mesoporous monoliths of inverse bicontinuous cubic phases of block copolymer bilayers.
Solution self-assembly of block copolymers into inverse bicontinuous cubic mesophases is a promising new approach for creating porous polymer films and monoliths with highly organized bicontinuous mesoporous networks. Here we report the direct self-assembly of block copolymers with branched hydrophilic blocks into large monoliths consisting of the inverse bicontinuous cubic structures of the block copolymer bilayer. We suggest a facile and scalable method of solution self-assembly by diffusion of water to the block copolymer solution, which results in the unperturbed formation of mesoporous monoliths with large-pore (>25 nm diameter) networks weaved in crystalline lattices. The surface functional groups of the internal large-pore networks are freely accessible for large guest molecules such as protein complexes of which the molecular weight exceeded 100 kDa. The internal double-diamond (Pn3m) networks of large pores within the mesoporous monoliths could be replicated to self-supporting three-dimensional skeletal structures of crystalline titania and mesoporous silica.
Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST Road, Ulsan 689-798, Korea.
Chiyoung
C
Park
Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST Road, Ulsan 689-798, Korea.
Yunju
Y
La
Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST Road, Ulsan 689-798, Korea.
Tae Hyun
TH
An
UNIST Central Research Facilities, UNIST, Ulsan 689-798, Korea.
Hu Young
HY
Jeong
School of Life Sciences, UNIST, Ulsan 689-798, Korea.
Sebyung
S
Kang
1] Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST Road, Ulsan 689-798, Korea [2] School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, UNIST, Ulsan 689-798, Korea.
Sang Hoon
SH
Joo
Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, POSTECH, Pohang 790-784, Korea.
Hyungju
H
Ahn
Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, POSTECH, Pohang 790-784, Korea.
Tae Joo
TJ
Shin
1] Department of Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), 50 UNIST Road, Ulsan 689-798, Korea [2] KIST-UNIST-Ulsan Center for Convergence Materials, UNIST, Ulsan 689-698, Korea.
Kyoung Taek
0000000249157602
KT
Kim