Abstract
The combination of cellulose-based materials and functional polymers is a promising approach for the preparation of porous, biotemplated ceramic materials. Within this study, cellulose substrates were functionalized with a surface-attached initiator followed by polymerization of (3methacryloxypropyl)heptaisobutyl-T8-silsesquioxane (MAPOSS) by means of surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Successful functionalization was proven by infrared (IR) spectroscopy as well as by contact angle (CA) measurements. Thermal analysis of the polymer-modified cellulose substrates in different atmospheres (nitrogen and air) up to 600 °C led to porous carbon materials featuring the pristine fibre-like structure of the cellulose material as shown by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Interestingly, spherical, silicon-containing domains were present at the surface of the cellulose-templated carbon fibres after further ceramisation at 1600 °C, as investigated by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements.
Highlights
The preparation of hierarchically ordered and multifunctional materials is an important concept in nature, which has attracted enormous attention of scientists over the last decades [1,2]
Thermal treatment of the PMAPOSS-containing cellulose substrates and PMAPOSS homopolymers were performed in an Astro graphite furnace (Thermal Technology Inc., Santa Rosa, contact angle (CA), USA) under nitrogen atmosphere
Cellulose-based substrates were modified with a POSS-containing
Summary
The preparation of hierarchically ordered and multifunctional materials is an important concept in nature, which has attracted enormous attention of scientists over the last decades [1,2]. The fabrication of hierarchically structured porous materials by synthesis and assembly of e.g., spheres, nanowires, nanorods, nanotubes, fibres for the preparation of smart membranes, or inverse opals with adjustable 3-dimensional structures has gained considerable attention due to the tremendous potential for various applications. Such porous materials and combinations thereof are highly promising candidates in fields of catalysis, separation, sensors, optics, and biomedicine [3,4,5,6,7,8,9].
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