Composition and Morphology Control in Ordered Mesostructured High-Temperature Ceramics from Block Copolymer Mesophases

The co-assembly between a polyisoprene-block-poly(dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) block copolymer and poly(ureamethylvinyl)silazane is investigated. The hybrid morphology can be controlled by systematically increasing the inorganic-to-organic ratio or by changing the molecular weight of the block copolymer. Temperature treatment up to 1500 °C of the hybrids resulted in mesoporous, ordered non-oxide-type ceramics. The results suggest that careful control of co-assembly processes enables access to nanostructured high-temperature ceramics that may have novel mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties.