Hierarchical nanoporous structures by self-assembled hybrid materials based on block copolymers

Hierarchical nanoporous structures are fabricated by adsorption of micelles of diblock copolymer-templated Au-nanoparticles onto a hydrophilic solid substrate. Gold nanoparticles are prepared using micelles (19 nm) of polystyrene-block-poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P4VP) as nanoreactors. Deposition of thin films of the micellar solution, modified with a non-selective solvent (THF), on hydrophilic surfaces leads to the formation of hierarchical nanoporous morphologies. The thin films exhibit two different pore diameters and a total pore density of 15 x 10(8) holes per cm(2). The structure was analyzed in terms of topography and chemical composition using AFM, TEM and XPS measurements. The PS-b-P4VP template was subsequently removed by oxygen plasma etching, to leave behind metallic nanopores that mimic the original thin film morphology.