Aluminosilicate nanofibers with ordered pores derived from block copolymer electrospun nanofibers

The self-assembling phenomenon of block copolymers (BCPs) can be used to spatially organize inorganic entities to create chemical patterns that can be converted into high-surface area materials. In this study, electrospun nanofibers with ordered phases were designed and prepared using BCPs as the templates to control the distribution of inorganic nanoparticles (NPs). To this end, blends of Pluronic F127 BCP and poly(caprolactone) (in a 2:1 ratio) containing different amounts of aluminosilicate NPs (obtained through a sol-gel process) were electrospun. The nanofibers thus produced were pyrolyzed at 600 degrees C. The results indicated that the inorganic NPs were selectively located within the more hydrophilic domains of the BCP. The small angle X-ray scattering results showed that the amount of inorganic NPs incorporated in the nanofibers affected the morphology of the BCPs, yielding structures ranging from lamellae to hexagonal array of cylinders. After pyrolysis, aluminosilicate-rich fibers with a hexagonal array of cylindrical pores were obtained. (c) 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 46868.