Polydimethylsiloxane-cyclodextrin networks synthesized into a porous polystyrene gel – an investigation by energy filtering transmission electron microscopy

Crosslinked poly(styrene)-poly(dimethylsiloxane)-cyclodextrin systems are a new class of multicomponent polymer networks. They are prepared by swelling a polystyrene gel (PS) with the components of the poly(dimethylsiloxane)-cyclodextrin network (PDMS(CDX)) and subsequent crosslinking. Electron spectroscopic imaging and elemental mapping are appropriate methods for the investigation of these polymer systems, which contain heteroatoms in one of their components. It is shown that PDMS(CDX) is uniformly distributed within PS. Interpenetration with PS is responsible for the stable anchoring of PDMS(CDX) and prevents phase separation.