Direct preparation of mesoporous carbon by pyrolysis of poly(acrylonitrile-b-methylmethacrylate) diblock copolymer

Direct pyrolysis of self-assembled polyacrylonitrile-block-polymethylmethacrylate (PAN-b-PMMA) diblock copolymer can be a promising route for fabricating an ordered carbon nanostructure. PAN-b-PMMA diblock copolymer was synthesized successfully by atom transfer radical (ATRP) polymerization in DMF at 90 degrees C with well-controlled molecular weight and narrow polydispersity. The resulting block copolymer self-assembled in the mixture of ethanol and water to form nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution. Furthermore, the high quality of the as-synthesized PAN-b-PMMA block copolymer experienced phase-separation to form a self-assembled nanostructure at 250 degrees C that was converted to a mesoporous carbon phase after heating at 800 degrees C. The pyrolyzed carbon product exhibited well-defined nanostructure with a high BET surface area of 860 m(2) g(-1) and an average mesopore size of 8.1 nm.