Synthesis of nanoporous organic/inorganic hybrid materials with adjustable pore size

Polystyrene (PS) nanofoams, prepared following the nanofoams continuity inversion of dispersions (NF-CID) principle, were utilized for the synthesis of nanoporous organic/inorganic hybrid materials. The pore size and morphology of the PS foams were found to depend on the NF-CID parameters: temperature, exposure time, and the expansion process. With this knowledge, PS foams with a pore size of 1 μm were mineralized with ZnO from a methanol precursor solution comprising zinc acetate dihydrate. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) was used to characterize both the pure PS nanofoam and the hybrid material. The formation of a ZnO layer on the pore walls of the polymer foams was confirmed, while the general structure of the foam was retained. Uniaxial compression measurements revealed larger values of the E modulus and the yield stress for the porous PS/ZnO hybrid material compared to the pure polymer foam.