화학공학소재연구정보센터
Macromolecules, Vol.53, No.24, 11098-11105, 2020
Development of a Layered Hybrid Nanocomposite Material Using alpha,omega-Bifunctionalized Polythiophenes
In this study, a new chiral alpha,omega-bifunctional polythiophene is synthesized and used as a nanoparticle linker molecule to synthesize the first layered conjugated polymer/nanoparticle (CP/NP) hybrid material to induce a potential nonreciprocal optical rotation. The bifunctionalized polythiophene (PT) is synthesized using a controlled Kumada catalyst-transfer condensation polymerization (KCTCP) mechanism utilizing a combination of a catechol-functionalized Ni-initiator and a termination process with S-8 and 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU), to quantitatively obtain a catechol and thiol end-capped poly(3-((S)-3,7-dimethyloctyl)thiophene). The catechol group has a high affinity for magnetite NPs, while the thiol end group prefers to bind with metallic NPs such as silver and gold. Using these properties, both a double-layered material, consisting of repeated layers of gold and magnetite NPs, and a triple layered material, consisting of gold, magnetite, and silver NPs was made, where each NP layer was linked with the previously synthesized polymer. This was achieved by first functionalizing magnetite NPs with the polymer, resulting in free thiol ends on these hybrid magnetite NPs. Using these hybrid magnetite NPs allowed for a selective layered construction by alternating a metallic layer with these hybrid magnetite NP layers. In this way, a system with up to eight double layers and a system with three triple layers was synthesized and analyzed using UV-vis and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements. Finally, also the nonreciprocal properties were tested.