Dispersible microporous di-block co-polymer Nanoparticles via polymerisation-induced self-assembly

Microporous materials are predominantly formed as insoluble powders which means that they can be difficult to process. Here we report a new class of solvent-dispersible porous polymers synthesised by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer mediated polymerisation-induced self-assembly (RAFT-mediated PISA), formed from a PEG macro-CTA polymerised with divinylbenzene and fumaronitrile. The particles have a dual morphology consisting of smaller spheres of 24-29 nm aggregated into larger particles of 204 - 262 nm. Gas sorption analysis showed the particles to have BET surface areas of 274 to 409 m2/g with internal pore sizes centred around 1.8 nm and further larger pores arising from the sphere packing of the aggregates. The particles were found to be photoluminescent (emission λmax = 326 nm) when exposed to UV light which could be quenched by the addition of nitroaromatic compounds. For example, 99% if the emission was quenched in the presence of 38 ppm of picric acid.