Organic–inorganic
hybrid vesicles of the polyhedral oligomeric
silsesquioxane (POSS)-based star block copolymer of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-block-polystyrene [POSS-(PNIPAM-b-PS)8] were synthesized by polymerization-induced
self-assembly via reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer
(RAFT) polymerization employing a POSS-based macromolecular chain
transfer agent. The average diameter, the membrane thickness, and
the cavity volume fraction of the POSS-(PNIPAM-b-PS)8 vesicles are 212 nm, 21 nm, and 52%, respectively. The POSS-(PNIPAM-b-PS)8 vesicles exhibit good thermal stability
and have 12% higher Young’s modulus than the vesicles of linear
block copolymer counterparts. Due to the high mechanical strength,
the POSS-(PNIPAM-b-PS)8 vesicles can keep
structural integrity in the dried state. The coating of the POSS-(PNIPAM-b-PS)8 vesicles is prepared by casting the dispersion
of the star block copolymer vesicles at room temperature, and then,
its application as a thermal insulation coating is investigated. It
is found that the POSS-(PNIPAM-b-PS)8 vesicles
can be used as qualified thermal insulation materials with the thermal
conductivity as low as 0.131 W/m·K.