International Business Machines Corporation
Porous/nanoporous PHT

Abstract:

In an embodiment, a polymeric material includes a plurality of hemiaminal units bonded together by a first linkage and a second linkage, wherein the first linkage is thermally stable and resistant to bases and the second linkage is thermally degradable and degradable by a base. In another embodiment, a method of forming nanoporous materials includes forming a polymer network with a chemically removable portion. The chemically removable portion may be polycarbonate polymer that is removable on application of heat or exposure to a base, or a polyhexahydrotriazine (PHT) or polyhemiaminal (PHA) polymer that is removable on exposure to an acid. Removing any portion of the polymer results in formation of nanoscopic pores as polymer chains are decomposed, leaving pores in the polymer matrix.