Hybrid polymer nanoparticles

Several device concepts employing conjugated polymers as active components in the photoconversion process of photovoltaic devices have been presented to date. With power conversion efficiencies surpassing 5% (polymer-fullerene), reaching 3% (hybrid polymer-nanoparticle), or 2% (polymer-polymer), the prospects are high. 

It has been shown that the use of hydrophobic organo-tin catalysts, a solvent of the polyaddition medium or an off-stoichiometric ratio of the isocyanate and the diol component allows a considerable increase in the molecular weight of the polymer. It was also shown that hybrid polymer nanoparticles based on polystyrene/ polyurethane (PS/PU) or poly(butyl acrylate)/polyurethane (PBA/PU) can be synthesized using a one-pot procedure [26]. 

Sharma N, McReown SJ, Ma X, Pochan DJ, Cloutier SG (2010) Structure property correlations in hybrid polymer nanoparticle electrospun fibers and plasmonic control over their dichroic behavior. ACS Nano 4 5551-5558... 

Abstract In this chapter, nanocluster catalyzed modifications of organic and silicon based polymers are described. The tailoring of the polymeric tanplates was carried out under mild conditions and led to hybrid polymers in quantitative yields. Detailed characterization studies indicated that the integrity of the polymeric templates was not compromised during the functionalization process. The nanoparticle catalysis was found to be quite effective and highly selective, hi most cases exclusive 6-hydrosilylation products were obtained without any rearrangement or isomerization reactions. Detailed characterization and property profiling of the new hybrid polymers is also presented. 

A broad view of principal findings and processes utilized for the development of oriented polymer morphologies has been presented. New trends toward the advancement of this topic are being developed within the realm of multidisciplinary research. Studies of order development in polymers have—for a few years already—transcended beyond traditional disciplines in chemistry and engineering. Genetically engineered polymers, nanoparticles, self-assembled molecules, supercritical fluids, and hybrids are some of the few areas that are now an integral part of macromolecular structural property relationship studies. 

Thus, thermal methods for synthesis of nanoparticles in a polymer matrix possess unlimited opportunities for the construction of polymer nanocomposites and for a choice of the optimal variant. In this chapter we did not analyze sol-gel synthesis of nanocomposites as well as hybrid polymer-inorganic nanocomposites, in preparation of which the controlled thermolysis plays an important role. 

P. Englebienne and A. Van Hoonacker, Gold-conductive polymer nanoparticles A hybrid material with enhanced photonic reactivity to environmental stimuli, J. Colloid Interface Sci., 292, 445-454 (2005). 

Muller and coworkers prepared disc-like polymer Janus particles from assembled films of the triblock copolymer SBM and, after hydrolysis of the ester groups into methacrylic acid units, used these as Pickering stabilizer in the soap-free emulsion polymerization of styrene and butyl acrylate [111]. Armes and coworkers described the synthesis of PMMA/siUca nanocomposite particles in aqueous alcoholic media using silica nanoparticles as stabilizer [112], extending this method to operate in water with a glycerol-modified silica sol [113, 114]. Sacanna showed that methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane [115] in the presence of nanosized silica led to spontaneous emulsification in water, which upon a two-step polymerization procedure afforded armored particles with an outer shell of PMMA [116]. Bon and coworkers demonstrated the preparation of armored hybrid polymer latex particles via emulsion polymerization of methyl methacrylate and ethyl methacrylate stabilized by unmodified silica nanoparticles (Ludox TM O) [117]. Performance of an additional conventional seeded emulsion polymerization step provided a straightforward route to more complex multilayered nanocomposite polymer colloids (see Fig. 14). 

The behavior of nanoparticles at soft interfaces and their ability to adhere to these strongly has great potential for further studies, especially in the area of solids-stabilized emulsion polymerization. The ability to control and understand mechanistically this process will allow the design of innovative hybrid polymer colloids. 

Yang J, Hasell T, Wang W, Li J, Brown PD, Poliakoff M, Lester E, Howdle SM (2008) Preparation of hybrid polymer nanocomposite microparticles by a nanoparticle stabilized dispersion polymerization. J Mater Chem 18 998-1001... 

Ultrasonic initiation of styrene polymerization was investigated by Qiu [182, 183]. Although hybrid particles could be obtained, plain polymer nanoparticles were found in the system as well. 

Farouk, A., Textor, T., Schollmeyer, E., Tarbuk, A., and Grancacic, A. M. (2009). Sol-gel derived inorganic-organic hybrid polymers filled with ZnO nanoparticles as ultraviolet protection finish for textiles, Autex fles./, 9,114-120. 

Depiction of three types of clay—polymer hybrid materials showing different levels of particle dispersion (Polymer-Nanoparticle Composites Part 1 (Nanotechnology), 2010). 

Besides clay-based nanocomposites, there has been huge discussion on the metallic and semiconductor-based hybrid materials. The ability of polymer materials to assemble into nanostructures describes the use of polymers providing exquisite order to nanoparticles. Finally, a discussion on potential applications of polymer—nanoparticle composites with a special focus on the use of dendrite polymers and nanoparticles for catalysis should follow (Polymer-Nanoparticle Composites Part 1 (Nanotechnology), 2010) (Figure 1.15). 

Yabu, FI., Inoue, K., Shimomura, M. Multiple-periodic structures of self-organized honeycomb-patterned films and polymer nanoparticles hybrids. Colloid Surf. A 284-285, 301-304 (2006)... 

---