An experimental study on the processes of hierarchical morphology replication by means of a mesocrystal: a case study of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)

Hybrid Biomimetic Materials from Silica/Carbonate Biomorphs

The formation of a polymer protection layer around fragile mineral architectures ensures that structures stay intact even after treatments that would normally destroy them going along with a total loss of textural information. Here we present a strategy to preserve the shape of silica-carbonate biomorphs with polymers. This method converts non-hybrid inorganic-inorganic composite materials such a silica/carbonate biomorphs into hybrid organic/carbonate composite materials similar to biominerals.

Infiltration of biomineral templates for nanostructured polypyrrole

Biomineral templates like sea urchin spine, nacre or eggshell were applied in the polymerisation of pyrrole. The insufficient infiltration of pyrrole into the CaCO3 structure of the biomineral templates was improved using three different and universally applicable approaches and the electrochemical properties of the received polypyrrole were examined.

Incorporation of organic crystals into the interspace of oriented nanocrystals: morphologies and properties

Oriented nanocrystals, as seen in biominerals, have both the macroscopic hierarchical morphologies and the nanoscale interspace among the unit crystals. Here we studied the incorporation effects of the specific interspace in the oriented nanocrystals on the morphologies, properties, and applications of organic crystals. Organic crystals, such as 9-vinylcarbazole (VCz), azobenzene (AB), and pyrene (PY), were introduced into the specific interspace of oriented nanocrystals from the melts. The morphologies and properties of the incorporated organic crystals were systematically studied in these model cases. The incorporation of the organic crystals provided the composites with the original oriented nanocrystals. The incorporated organic crystals formed the single-crystalline structures even in the nanoscale interspace. The melts of the organic compounds were crystallized and grown in the interspace of the original materials. The incorporated organic crystals showed the specific phase transition behavior. The freezing points of the organic crystals were raised by the incorporation into the nanospace while the melting points were not changed. The hierarchical morphologies of the organic crystals were obtained after the dissolution of the original materials. The hierarchical morphologies of the original materials were replicated to the organic crystals. The incorporated organic crystal was polymerized without deformation of the hierarchical morphologies. The hierarchical polymer can be applied to the donor material for the generation of a larger amount of the charge-transfer complex with the acceptor molecule than the commercial polymer microparticles. The present work shows the potential use of the nanoscale interspace generated in the oriented nanocrystals.

A hydrophobic adsorbent based on hierarchical porous polymers derived from morphologies of a biomineral

Functional biogenic hierarchical morphologies are applied to a hydrophobic adsorbent consisting of polystyrene through the morphology replication technique.

Crystal-surface-induced simultaneous synthesis and hierarchical morphogenesis of conductive polymers

The surface of oxidant crystals as a condensed phase of the oxidative agent facilitates the simultaneous synthesis and morphogenesis of conductive polymer materials.