abstract
We report the synthesis of morphological uniform composites using miniemulsions of poly(tert-butyl acrylate) or poly(styrene) containing organically capped gold nanocrystals (NCs). The optical features of such hybrid structures are dominated by plasmonic effects and depend critically on the morphology of the resulting nanocomposite. In particular, we demonstrate the ability to tune the overall optical response in the visible spectral region by varying the Au NCs arrangement within the polymer matrix, and therefore the interparticle plasmon coupling, using Au NCs resulting from the same batch of synthesis. This is a consequence of two well-known effects on the optical properties of Au particles: the variation of the surrounding dielectric refractive index and interparticle plasmonic coupling. The research reported here shows a general strategy to produce optical responsive nanocomposites via control of the morphology of submicrometric polymer particles containing metal nanocrystals and thus is an alternative to the more common strategy of size tuning metal nanoparticles used as nanofillers.
keywords
SURFACE-PLASMON RESONANCE; METAL NANOPARTICLES; POLYMER ENCAPSULATION; RELAXATION DYNAMICS; MAGNETIC COLLOIDS; SIZE; PARTICLES; NANOCRYSTALS; NANORODS; FILMS
subject category
Chemistry; Materials Science
authors
Martins, MA; Fateixa, S; Girao, AV; Pereira, SS; Trindade, T
our authors
Ana Violeta Girão
Junior Researcher
Manuel António Martins da Silva
Researcher
Sara Fateixa
Junior Researcher
Sérgio Manuel de Sousa Pereira
Principal Researcher
Tito Trindade
Full professor
Tito Trindade
Full professorGroups
G1 - Porous Materials and Nanosystems
G3 - Electrochemical Materials, Interfaces and Coatings
acknowledgements
We thank Funducao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT/FEDER) for the following grants: SFRH/BD/29475/2006 (M. A. Martins), SFRH/BD/66460/2009 (S. Fateixa), SFRH/BPD/66407/2009 (A. V. Girao), and project PTDC/QUI/67712/2006. We thank Professor Ana Barros-Timmons for helpful discussions. Microscopy analysis was supported by RNME-Pole University of Aveiro FCT Project REDE/1509/RME/2005.