Nanoporous Polystyrene and Carbon Materials with Core-Shell Nanosphere-Interconnected Network Structure

A study was conducted to demonstrate a new strategy to address the shortcomings associated with nanoporous polystyrene and carbon materials with core shell nanosphere-interconnected network structure. Hairy nanoparticles, acting as core shell network building blocks were prepared by grafting polystyrene chains from the surface of silica nanoparticles using surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP). This was followed by intra- and interparticle carbonyl cross-linking of polystyrene. The new strategy had several significant advantages, such as allowing for the design and fabrication of network unit at a molecular level. The use of the unique, well-defined, and core shell network unit afforded the nanomaterials with advanced responsive properties and superior performance as storage and release matrices. The new synthetic approach also demonstrated the use of controlled polymerizations, such as ATRP for the preparation of nanoporous materials.