Nanoporous polystyrene containing hydrophilic pores from an ABC triblock copolymer precursor

A route to nanoporous polystyrene monoliths with controlled pore wall functionality from the degradation of ordered ABC triblock copolymers was described. Size exclusion chromatography (SEC) analysis indicated high reinitiation efficiency for all segments, and the final triblock copolymer was obtained with a number-average molecular weight of 46 kg mol ^-1 and a polydispersity index (PDI) of 1.12. Small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis of the degraded monoliths confirmed the retention of the principal spacing, hexagonally ordered structure and degree of orientation. It was demonstrated that nanoporous polystyrene can be prepared with aligned, narrow-size-distribution hydrophilic pores that render the materials water-compatibility.