Novel polymer nanocomposite composed of organic nanoparticles via self-assembly

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new polymer nanocomposite with organic nanoparticles formed by self-assembly, demonstrating enhanced optoelectronic properties and a novel fabrication approach using polyelectrolytes and amphiphiles.

Contribution

It presents a novel class of polymer nanocomposite with organic nanoparticles created through self-assembly, offering a new method for fabricating such materials.

Findings

Enhanced optoelectronic properties observed via Raman spectroscopy

Nanoparticles sized 30-120 nm dispersed in polymer matrix

New self-assembly approach using polyelectrolytes and amphiphiles

Abstract

We report a novel class of polymer nanocomposite composed of organic nanoparticles dispersed in polymer matrix, with the particle sizes of 30-120 nm in radius. The organic nanoparticles were formed by the self-assembly of protonated poly(4-vinyl-pyridine)-r-poly(acrylonitrile) and amphiphilic metanil yellow dye molecules through electrostatic interactions in aqueous solution. A strongly broadened Raman shift band was probed, suggesting the presence of enhanced optoelectronic property from the polymer nanocomposite. Here, using random-copolymer polyelectrolytes and mesogenic amphiphiles as the designed building blocks for self-assembly, a new approach is acutally provided to fabricate organic nanoparticles.