Explain how the porosity of crosslinked polystyrene can be controlled during its synthesis. What factors influence the pore size and distribution of crosslinked polystyrene?
The porosity of crosslinked polystyrene can be controlled during its synthesis by varying the molar mass of the sacrificial PLA block. This will influence the pore size and distribution of crosslinked polystyrene, as well as its surface area. The Friedel-Craft reaction can also be used to synthesize polystyrene-based hyper-cross-linked polymers (HCPs) in various situations. Additionally, conjugated PAE networks with high BET surface areas can be synthesized through careful control of the pore dimension. Finally, the porous structure of hypercrosslinked polystyrene can be adjusted to increase its surface area for adsorption purposes.