Effect of preparation procedure on the structure, morphology, and optical properties of nanocomposites of poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] with gold nanoparticles
Abstract
Morphology, spectroscopic properties and molecular structure defects are characterized and compared for two types of the title polymer (MEH-PPV) nanocomposites (NCs) with Au nanoparticles (NPs) prepared by divers procedures: type M NCs prepared by mixing a CH2Cl2 solution of MEH-PPV with Au NPs organosol in CH2Cl2, and type R NCs prepared by in situ interfacial reduction of Au3+ salt with NaBH4 in the presence of polymer. In NCs M the MW distribution and molecular structure of parent MEH-PPV remains almost intact and Au NPs are almost uniformly distributed in the polymer matrix and preserve the NP-size distribution found for parent sol.
Aggregation of Au NPs is observed only at low polym. conc. For NCs R a broad NP-size distribution, higher mean size of NP and formation of Au aggregates are observed together with slight decrease in MW and extent of conjugation of MEH-PPV is observed.