Self-assembled block polymers containing a sacrificial (i.e., chemically etchable) component are versatile precursors to functional nanoporous materials. The two most common ordered morphologies used to generate nanoporous materials in this way are the hexagonally-packed cylindrical and bicontinuous gyroid phases.
In this talk, Professor Marc Hillmyer will discuss approaches to nanostructured, bicontinuous but disorganized morphologies through either thermal or light-induced chemical fixation of block polymers in the disordered state in close proximity to the order-disorder transition. Composition fluctuations in disordered block polymers can be trapped using this versatile strategy. In the cases where one of the blocks is chemically etchable (e.g., polylactide), nanoporous polymers with narrow pore size distributions can be generated and utilized as, for example, ultrafiltration membranes for water purification. He will focus on the synthesis, characterization and applications of this class of nanoporous and related nanostructured materials.
Marc
Hillmyer
McKnight
Presidential
Endowed
Chair
Distinguished
University
Teaching
Professor
Center
for
Sustainable
Polymers
Director
Department
of
Chemistry
University
of
Minnesota