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Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Advanced Compositional Analysis of Nanoparticle-polymer Composites Using Direct Fluorescence Imaging
Published on: July 19, 2016
Control of morphology and its effects on the optical properties of polymer nanocomposites
X Chelsea Chen1, Peter F Green
1Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA.
Abstract:
Chain-grafted Au nanoparticles were synthesized and incorporated into a fluorescent polymer, poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPV), host. We show that control of the Au nanoparticle distribution within MEH-PPV is achieved by manipulating the enthalpic and entropic interactions between the grafted brush layers and the host chains. Further, we show that the fluorescence of these Au/MEH-PPV nanocomposite thin films may be "tailored" by as much as an order of magnitude through changes in the nanoparticle distribution, brush length, and nanoparticle size. The ideas presented herein represent reliable strategies for materials design for devices.
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