A PPV/MCM-41 Composite Material

Preparation of the conjugated polymer poly(1,4-phenylene vinylene) (PPV) inside the channels of the mesoporous silica MCM-41 is described. Polymerization was initiated inside the channels by deprotonated surface hydroxy groups. Presence of PPV was observed by infrared, absorption, and luminescence spectroscopy. A pore size reduction of 0.3 nm was seen in the composite material by nitrogen physisorption. A polymer mass content of 8% indicated the presence of approximately 3−6 polymer chains in each pore. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy of the composite revealed plasmon losses associated with the π-electron system on PPV. Energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy showed that the polymer was evenly distributed throughout the composite material through mapping of the π-electron plasmon losses.