Polymer Composites with Plasmonic Metal Nanoparticles

A two-phase method has been adapted for the preparation of polymer composites consisting of regioregular poly(3-octylthiophene-2,5-diyl) and Au or Ag nanoparticles. This work compares optical and morphological properties of nanocomposites formed by mixing metal organosols and polymer solution (type I composites) with nanocomposites formed by in-situ reduction in polymer solutions (type II composites). Both types contained very small metal nanoparticles (1-10 nm). Interestingly, more than ten-fold enhancement of Raman scattering of the polymer by the electromagnetic (EM) mechanism of SERS (surface-enhanced Raman scattering) resulted from the coupling of the polymer with plasmonic Au nanoparticles into a nanocomposite system.