In biological systems there are many examples of organic macromolecules templating inorganic structures. By necessity the inorganic structures are formed under mild conditions, in stark contrast with sol-gel and sintering processes currently in use. Previous work in our group developed a polymer modeled after the enzyme Silicatein a that has been shown to template and catalyze the formation of silica spicules in marine sponges. By mimicking this enzyme, ceramic coatings can be made with precise control and in an environmentally friendly way. Herein we report the formation of ceramics from the condensation of metal alkoxides onto an electrospun mat of poly(hydroxylated isoprene-b-2-vinylpyridine) under mild conditions. The use of electrospinning techniques with ceramic condensation allows for the straightforward synthesis of novel porous functional materials with high surface area, ideal for applications in catalysis and membrane separation.Figure 1: (Left) Electrospun poly(hydroxylated isoprene-b-2-vinylpyridine) fibers. (Right) Electrospun fibers with condensed TiO2.

Electrospun biomimetic synthetic polymer for templated ceramic condensation

248th National Meeting (2014)

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