Poly(vinylidene fluoride)/nickel nanocomposites from semicrystalline block copolymer precursors

The fabrication of nanoporous poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and PVDF/nickel nanocomposites from semicrystalline block copolymer precursors is reported. Polystyrene-block-poly(vinylidene fluoride)-block-polystyrene (PS-b-PVDF-b-PS) is prepared through functional benzoyl peroxide initiated polymerization of VDF, followed by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene. The crystallization of PVDF plays a dominant role in the formation of the block copolymer structure, resulting in a spherulitic superstructure with an internal crystalline-amorphous lamellar nanostructure. The block copolymer promotes the formation of the ferroelectric beta-polymorph of PVDF. Selective etching of the amorphous regions with nitric acid leads to nanoporous PVDF, which functions as a template for the generation of PVDF/Ni nanocomposites. The lamellar nanostructure and the beta-crystalline phase are conserved during the etching procedure and electroless nickel deposition.