Inorganic nano-materials produced by the thermal treatment of metal-infused organic polymers

Abstract

A method of forming an inorganic nano-material by thermally treating metal-infused organic polymers to remove the organics to leave an inorganic nano-material where the metal-infused organic polymer precursor may be formed by a polymer synthesis reaction of organic monomers with a metal-containing precursor and by combining a metal containing precursor with at least one organic monomer to obtain a mixture and initiating a polymerization reaction of the mixture to form a metal-infused organic polymer precursor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of producing an inorganic nano-material including:
 forming a metal-infused organic polymer precursor; and   heating the formed metal-infused organic polymer precursor to remove organics and produce an inorganic nano-material.   
     
     
         2 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 1 , including forming a metal-infused organic polymer precursor by a polymer synthesis reaction of at least one organic monomer and at least one metal-containing precursor. 
     
     
         3 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 2 , wherein at least one organic monomer includes at least one π-bond. 
     
     
         4 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 2 , wherein at least one organic monomer includes at least one epoxide. 
     
     
         5 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 2 , wherein the synthesis is initiated by at least one initiator molecule. 
     
     
         6 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 2 , wherein at least one metal-containing precursor includes at least one of alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, post-transition metal, metalloid, lanthanide and actinide. 
     
     
         7 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 2 , wherein the metal containing precursor includes at least one of nitrate, hydroxide, carbonate, acetate, and halide. 
     
     
         8 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 2 , wherein the resulting polymers functional groups in the metal-containing precursor are coordinated to the metal from the metal-containing precursor forming an interconnected polymer/metal-ion matrix. 
     
     
         9 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 2 , wherein heating the metal-infused organic polymer precursor includes crystallization of the resulting inorganic nano-material. 
     
     
         10 . A method of producing an inorganic nano-material, including:
 combining at least one metal containing precursor with at least one organic monomer to obtain a mixture; and   initiating a polymerization reaction of the mixture to form a metal-infused organic polymer precursor.   
     
     
         11 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 10 , wherein the metal-infused organic polymer precursor is heated to remove organics. 
     
     
         12 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 11 , wherein the resulting structure is an inorganic nano-material. 
     
     
         13 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 12 , wherein at least one organic monomer includes at least one π-bond. 
     
     
         14 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 12 , wherein at least one organic monomer includes at least one epoxide. 
     
     
         15 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 12 , wherein the synthesis is initiated by at least one initiator molecule. 
     
     
         16 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 12 , wherein at least one metal-containing precursor contains at least one of alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, transition metal, post-transition metal, metalloid, lanthanide and/or actinide. 
     
     
         17 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 12 , wherein the metal containing precursor includes at least one of nitrate, hydroxide, carbonate, acetate, and/or halide. 
     
     
         18 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 12 , wherein the resulting polymers functional groups in the metal-containing precursor are coordinated to the metal from the metal-containing precursor forming an interconnected polymer/metal-ion matrix. 
     
     
         19 . The method of producing an inorganic nano-material of  claim 11 , wherein heating the metal-infused organic polymer precursor includes crystallization of the resulting inorganic nano-material. 
     
     
         20 . A device, component or fabrication which uses the inorganic nano-material described in  claim 12 .