Transient laser heating induced hierarchical porous structures from block copolymer-directed self-assembly

Abstract

Development of rapid processes combining hierarchical self-assembly with mesoscopic shape control has remained a challenge. This is particularly true for high-surface-area porous materials essential for applications including separation and detection, catalysis, and energy conversion and storage. We introduce a simple and rapid laser writing method compatible with semiconductor processing technology to control three-dimensionally continuous hierarchically porous polymer network structures and shapes. Combining self-assembly of mixtures of block copolymers and resols with spatially localized transient laser heating enables pore size and pore size distribution control in all-organic and highly conducting inorganic carbon films with variable thickness. The method provides all-laser-controlled pathways to complex high-surface-area structures, including fabrication of microfluidic devices with high-surface-area channels and complex porous crystalline semiconductor nanostructures.