Controlled RAFT Synthesis of Polyacrylonitrile-b-poly(acrylic acid) Diblocks as Precursors of Carbon Nanocapsules with Assistance of Gold Nanoparticles

A new strategy for the synthesis of carbon nanocapsules has been developed, based on the preparation of well-defined polyacrylonitrile- b -poly(acrylic acid) (PAN- b -PAA) block copolymers followed by their micellization in basic water to form spherical micelles with a PAN core and PAA shell. The PAN is then cross-linked by the use of gold nanoparticles. After pyrolysis, carbon nanocapsules are produced by graphitization of the PAN core and diffusion of the molten gold nanoparticles out of the nano-objects.