Inorganic-Macroion-Induced Formation of Bicontinuous Block Copolymer Nanocomposites with Enhanced Conductivity and Modulus.

A facile and electrostatically driven approach has been developed to prepare bicontinuous polymer nanocomposites that is based on the polyoxometalate (POM) macroion induced phase transition of PS- b-P2VP from an initial lamellar phase to a stable bicontinuous phase. The multi-charged POMs can electrostatically cross-link P2VP blocks and give rise to bicontinuous phases in which the POM hybrid conductive domains occupy a large volume fraction of more than 50 %. Furthermore, the POMs can give rise to high proton conductivity and serve as nanoenhancers, endowing the bicontinuous nanocomposites with a conductivity of 0.1 mS cm−1 and a Young's modulus of 7.4 GPa at room temperature; these values are greater than those of pristine PS- b-P2VP by two orders of magnitude and a factor of 1.8, respectively. This approach can provide a new concept based on electrostatic control to design functional bicontinuous polymer materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]